Chapter Four
WREN
Night fell heavily over Lyoness, soft but suffocating. The air hummed as insects came out, bold to face the night air now that the birds had nested down for the night.
I must have fallen asleep with Nerissa next to me, softly debating politics and alliances with Benedict and Kieran.
Yawning and cracking my jaw, the glow of the night lanterns filtered in the window, flickering along the bridges connecting our treehouse with the others in the massive trees.
I carefully wriggled my way out of Ronan’s grip on my right, grinning as Kieran snored on my left and Benedict lay sprawled on his side at my feet.
Nerissa was gone.
I tiptoed to the door slowly, cradling my stomach. We’d slowly rebuilt this place with them after the war: a home among the leaves, high above the scarred earth, a place where we could pretend peace wasn’t so fragile. But for now, in this moment, it was.
The wind whispered through the canopy as I leaned out the window. I didn’t realize how tightly I was wound until Kieran’s arms came around me from behind, warm and solid. Guess I hadn’t been as sneaky as I’d thought.
“Breathe,” he murmured against my ear.
I did. Slowly. The air tasted of cedar and rain. All around me insects chirped, the sticky heat of the day dissipating as it moved upwards toward the heavy tree canopy of the jungle.
Inside our treehouse, the space was aglow with soft light.
The walls—woven living branches and golden drape—breathed faintly with magick.
Benedict stirred and crouched, eyeing us sleepily.
Seeing Kieran at my side, he rolled back over and went to sleep.
Ronan popped up and began bustling around.
The scent of something spiced cut through the heaviness. I perked up. More pergainsa juice?
Ronan handed one to me first as Kieran chuckled. “Drink. Doctor’s orders.”
I managed a faint smile. “You’re not a doctor.”
“Scholar, doctor, mage? Same root word somewhere,” he said and stood on my left, wings flapping slightly.
Kieran left my side for a moment, then returned with a basin of warm water.
He knelt and dipped a cloth in it, wringing it out before brushing it gently over my arms. I hadn’t realized how much soot still streaked my skin until the water turned gray.
I let out a sigh and leaned back into him, groaning and holding my aching lower back.
“You did too much again,” he muttered, but his tone was soft. “Come back down to the cushions.”
“I always do too much,” I fired back, “and I cannot simply lay down until birth. That is not healthy either.”
Benedict stirred again before giving up and joining us. “You are worrying too much again,” he chastised me.
I smiled faintly. “I can’t help it.”
“Try.”
Ronan poured more juice into my cup after I quickly drained the first one. “For the queen of endless thoughts. Drink before you start fixing the world again.”
I took a long sip. “No promises.”
Benedict stayed near the balcony, eyes on the horizon. Even in the low light, I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers flexed as if still clutching a sword.
“Nerissa’s words will spread by morning,” he said finally. “Half the island will be dreaming of southern shores before dawn. The younger ones will be lusting for their chance at a mate. We should post guards to catch anyone flying off with any grand ideas. Or at least let the air witches know—”
“Let them dream,” I murmured. “It’s been too long since hope felt real.”
“Hope starts wars,” he muttered.
“Hope ends them too,” Ronan said, unbothered.
“Several witches with several secrets—” Benedict grunted.
“Technically,” Ronan said, “we didn’t survive her yet. She’s still on the island.”
I grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face.
He caught it, laughing. “Fair enough.”
“Come out into the hammock then, if you don’t want to languish on the cushions.
” Kieran reached for me and tugged me outside onto our platform, and gently helped me down into the hammock.
The wind felt good as I lounged on my side, the breeze refreshing.
His fingers dug into my shoulders, steady and relieving muscles I hadn’t even realized were tense.
For the first time all day, my body remembered how to breathe.
Benedict crouched in front of me, resting a hand on my knee. “You pushed too hard today,” he said quietly.
“So did you.”
He smiled, just a ghost of one. “That’s different.”
“It’s not.”
His hand slid from my knee to my belly, protective as ever. “You’re carrying the future of our people. I’m just carrying old ghosts.”
Ronan pretended to be busy with getting food, but I saw the flicker of pain in his expression. The wind shifted through the canopy again, the leaves rustling together. Somewhere below, a nightbird called.
Kieran pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “Let’s just be quiet for a while.”
That sounded amazing.
For a long time, no one spoke. The island hummed softly beneath us, alive and rebuilding. The steady rhythm of Kieran’s heartbeat was a soothing thud against my ear, along with the gentle creak of the wood, and the rustle of Benedict’s wings as he finally sat beside me.
Ronan hummed an old draken song under his breath as he sat beside Kieran, offering me some cheese. It was quiet. It was perfect.
Sleep tugged at me as I watched Benedict’s profile against the starlight, and beyond him, the volcano’s dark silhouette, silent and still.
Even the volcano was calm these days.
My iridescent white scales caught the soft glow from the lanterns as Benedict stroked my rounded belly. His clawed hands slid over the curve of my abdomen, firm and worshipful. He bent low, his tongue darting out to lap at the salt on my neck.
A bolt of arousal went through me, all thoughts of sleep abandoned.
I arched toward him, breath catching as his lips found my breasts, fuller and more tender now.
He latched onto one nipple, sucking with force, teeth nipping the tight bud while his fingers delved between my legs.
My core ached with need, slick folds yielding to his touch as he circled my clit in lazy spirals.
“I don’t want to hurt the baby,” Benedict grumbled, pulling away. “I should not have—”
“Well, I shall,” Kieran boomed eagerly, pushing his mate aside. “Besides, Domik said sex won’t hurt her or the baby. Best to keep her happy, eh?”
I laughed at their antics.
Benedict rumbled at being pushed aside, the sound vibrating straight into my core. Kieran shifted over me, his thick cock nudging my entrance.
“I know you aren’t trying to buck the mating order.” Benedict’s voice was dangerous.
Kieran waggled his eyebrows at me, then with a dramatic sigh, he rolled to the side.
Benedict had me in his arms a second later, flipping me onto my belly as my wings spread wide in front of him.
One powerful thrust sank him deep inside of me, my walls stretching to grip his length.
I moaned, claws raking the blankets as he drove into me, each plunge measured and intense, his hips colliding with mine. My wings twitched.
Next to me Kieran was kissing Ronan, Ronan’s hand on Kieran’s cock rubbing up and down. Kieran reached a hand out and stroked down one of my wing joints, nearly causing me to come undone right then and there.
“Not yet,” Benedict ordered, and Kieran’s hand fell away, his red scales flashing like spilled blood, hand going instead to Ronan’s wings. I stared at Kieran’s rigid cock.
Benedict ramped up his rhythm, tilting to strike that sensitive spot deep inside, drawing sharp cries from my throat.
Ronan’s cries filled my ears, raising my arousal until it soaked Benedict, trickling onto the floor my ass with every thrust. My body quivered, the changes from pregnancy heightening every nerve until the grunts and moans from my mates made it unbearable.
“Please, Benedict,” I begged, arching my back off the floor and into him.
“What was that, Queen?” he growled into my ear.
“P-please—”
He bit down into the back of my neck with his fangs and ecstasy tore through me, my inner walls clenching around him in pulsing waves.
He came with a stuttered groan, withdrawing his fangs from my neck and licking the wound closed a second later. Benedict withdrew with a slick sound, his cock shining with my essence, making way for Kieran.
Kieran flipped me onto my side, careful of my swell, and draped one of my legs over his hip. He aligned his ridged cock with my drenched pussy.
“My turn,” he panted, easing in at first, relishing how my heat swallowed him. I gasped, reaching back to clutch his thigh as he thrust, quicker than Benedict, unyielding in his drive.
Ronan positioned himself across from me, his hazy gaze letting me know Kieran had already brought him his release.
He leaned in and offered his neck, his hands roving up and down my body, stopping to pinch and tweak my nipples.
His bronze and gold scales gleamed as I bit down into his neck, drinking my fill.
Now that I was pregnant, I needed blood constantly from my mates. It was a good thing there were three of them! Otherwise I’d drained one mate like—
I froze, my brain connecting what I was doing to Anar’s lifeless corpse.
“Wren, what’s wrong?”
I shook my head. It wasn’t the same at all. Was it?
Ronan claimed my mouth in a hungry kiss and I abandoned myself to it, our tongues battling while Kieran continued to hammer from behind.
Kieran’s palms explored me—one squeezing my breast, twisting the nipple, the other teasing my clit to stoke the fire anew.
I pulled away from Ronan’s lips to moan.
Benedict bent over me, offering his wrist. I bit down, trying not to think about Anar as I drank.
Kieran’s movements faltered, his cock thickening within me as my climax loomed. He nipped my shoulder, scales rasping against mine, then roared as his seed surged hot into my core.
“You can come,” Benedict told me.
I cried out in relief as I tumbled over the edge on command, my inner muscles drawing every drop from him, shudders wracking my frame. Kieran lingered, rocking against me before slipping free, his release seeping from my well-used entrance.
Ronan took his place, his golden eyes fixed on my heated expression. I stayed on my side, sleepy and sated. The mingled cum from my mates leaked out, blending with my own wetness. Ronan’s cock prodded my folds before gliding in smoothly, the lubrication letting him bottom out instantly.
“So full already, but you can take more,” he whispered, setting a consistent pace, hips circling to press his base to my clit.
Benedict and Kieran stayed near me, Benedict presenting his persistent erection to my lips.
I turned, mouth opening to take him in, tongue laving the tip as I sucked and hollowed my cheeks.
Kieran waited his turn on the other side, and I switched between them, savoring the combined tastes on my tongue.
Ronan’s tempo surged, his drives forceful, sac tapping my rear.
He caressed my belly, the claiming gesture igniting fresh sparks.
My cries muffled around Benedict’s cock as Ronan plunged harder, his bronze scales grazing my white ones in hypnotic friction.
Pressure coiled tight in my core, my pussy spasming along his length.
He grunted, burying himself fully for his final thrust, cum bursting forth to add to the heat within.
That flood tipped me into bliss; I wailed around Kieran’s shaft, convulsions seizing me.
My mates encircled me, their touches and kisses mapping my skin.
Benedict lapped the spend from my inner thighs, Kieran nursed at my breasts, and Ronan sealed his mouth over mine, our tails weaving together.
I reveled in the satisfaction, my pregnant body fulfilled, wings folding around us like a vibrant shroud.
We fell asleep in a tangle of limbs and love.