Part 6 (1/2)

aThatas it, my friend,a Aiden said into his ear. aLet us pleasure you for a change.a aG.o.ds.a Ky thrust forward, wondering if head ever felt this good. Brianne caught his come on her tongue, her face registering wonder at the taste of it.

Aiden lifted his fingers, wet with Kyas come, and licked them clean. aMmm. I always knew youad taste good.a Ky leaned down and hauled Brianne into his lap. She snuggled against his shoulder looking pleased with herself. He kissed her lips and Aiden joined him, lips and tongues playing in the three-way kiss theyad done the night before.

Aiden tasted too good and so did Brianne. He could get used to this.

d.a.m.n Aiden. Ky couldnat let this continue, but, oh G.o.ds, he wanted to. Brianne was finea”head do her backwards and forwards and never worry. But Aidena Why canat I tell him to back off and leave me alone? Why canat I be horrified he wants to kiss me?

Why the h.e.l.l do I have to like it so much?

If Ky didnat stop him, head pay for it and he knew it.

Aiden smiled and slanted his mouth over Kyas, his sensual tongue finding every corner of Kyas mouth. Brianne watched, lips parted, and when Aiden drew back, she put her own mouth over Kyas, copying the kiss.

Ky sat there and took it. They went back and forth, Aiden, Brianne, Aiden, Brianne, the pair of them never letting Ky come up for air.

He loved it. They went on and on until the train slowed at the outskirts of the city and he never tried to stop them.

G.o.ds help me. I am so screwed.

Chapter Seven.

Decisions.

The train jerked its way into the station, waking the dozing trio in the compartment. Brianne sat up straight, realizing she was draped over Kyas bare lap. Aiden had resumed leaning on Kyas other side, head on his shoulder.

Brianne jumped to her feet, but Aiden woke slowly, stretching his powerful limbs like one of the great predatory cats of the southern canyons.

Ky opened his eyes but didnat yawn or make any other confused moves of someone whoad fallen asleep on a public transport. He calmly pulled up and fastened his pants then watched Aiden unfold himself from the seat and take Brianneas bag down from the shelf.

Aiden handed Brianne the soft valise and grinned at her. aWhat a nice ride.a Brianneas face heated. aYes. Definitely nice.a The train b.u.mped to a halt. They heard footsteps in the corridor, the train attendant coming to make sure the highborn lady exited without mishap. The attendant was a middle-aged woman who was not happy Brianne had insisted on letting the Shareem stay in the first-cla.s.s carriage, even though Brianne had paid the difference in their tickets.

aGuess this is where we depart.a Ky got himself to his feet. The s.p.a.ce in the compartment filled quickly with two Shareem towering over her.

Brianneas heart beat faster. She knew theyad part ways here, probably for good. She wanted to explain that what had happened between them was and always would be special to her, but she could not say a word with the attendant hovering. Besides, Aiden and Ky probably didnat want to hear a woman bleating that her encounter with them had changed her life, likely forever. Women must say that to them all the time.

But she could try. She fished in her robes and drew out a plain gray plastic card. It looked innocuous, but the coded strip held pa.s.ses to her inner sanctum at the ruling familyas compound.

She handed it to Ky. aIf you need to see me for any reason give this card to my personal guards. They will let you through to my private apartments.a She pushed it into Kyas hand. aAny time, for any reason,a she babbled.

Ky took the card without changing expression. The lines around his eyes creased a moment, then he tucked the card into his tunic and walked out of the compartment without looking back.

She was surprised at the hollow feeling in her heart. She realized he meant what head said. Weare square. Weare done.

Aiden started out after Ky, then he stopped himself by grabbing the sides of the door. The attendant drew an aggrieved breath, but Aiden grinned.

aYou ever need to find us, sweetheart, you go to Judithas bar down in Pas City,a he said. aIf we arenat there, she knows how to get in touch with us.a Another wink, another devastating smile and he was gone.

The adventure was over.

Ky was in one of his I donat want to talk about anything personal moods, much to Aidenas disgust.

Aiden had completely given up on him in the last three days, his usually laidback friend growling and muttering whenever Aiden tried to talk to hima”about anything. Ky especially didnat want to talk about events in the train and overnight in Elred.

He was pretending nothing had happeneda”not the arrest, not the train, not the night in the inn, nothing. Not him asking for Aidenas touch, not Aiden stroking him until he came, not him enjoying Aidenas mouth in long and burning kisses.

a.s.shole. They couldnat pretend it all away. Aiden had hoped head at last be able to reveal his feelings for Ky, but Ky completely shut him out.

The two of them decided to go to neutral ground on the afternoon of the third daya”Judithas bar.

As usual, Judith tended bar in sloppy breeches and s.h.i.+rt, her hair twisted in a simple knot. Judith worked her b.u.t.t off to keep this business going, and she made it known that Shareem were always welcome here.

Aiden, like every other Shareem in Pas City, had a soft spot for Judith. She was always up for s.e.xual games, from Aidenas sensual ma.s.sages to Kyas full-blown bondage. She liked threesomes and foursomes and any other somes she could manage. Shead screw until she pa.s.sed out in exhaustion, then wake up in the morning and do it again. And say thank you.

Aiden wanted to see her happy with a permanent lover, one who appreciated her, but Judith was fiercely independent. The last time Aiden suggested she look for a special someone, shead asked in irritation why she should let a normal human male ruin her life.

Head backed off, and Judith had smiled and changed the subject. A bad breakup, maybe? Aiden speculated later to Ky.

Ky snorted. Look at her choices. She likes Shareem, and only the rare ones like Rees and Rio have taken lifemates. The human men of Pas City are weaklings. Sheas better off hanging out with us.

Aw, come on, Aiden continued, half joking. Donat you believe in happily ever after?

No.

Glancing sideways at Ky, who lifted a gla.s.s of ale to his lips, Aiden could tell he still had no use for happily ever after. Not even when it stared him in the face.

b.u.t.thead.

aWhereave you two been lately?a Braden moved to them from the bar. He patted Judith on the backside as he pa.s.sed her, and Judith sent him a smoldering look.

Ky acknowledged Bradenas arrival with a curt nod then fixed his gaze on the silent digital on the other side of the room, ignoring them.

aHome,a Aiden said as their friend sat down. aBored.a aNo kidding? I thought you were holed up having some great mnage. I was hurt you didnat invite me.a aNothing more exciting than digital reruns the last few days,a Aiden said, giving Ky another sideways look. aWhat have you been doing?a Bradenas blue eyes twinkled. aHaving a mnage of my own with two lovely ladies, and at one point, sharing with one of the lovely ladiesa footmen. Orchestrated s.e.x in a ballroom. It was fun.a Aiden turned his gla.s.s on the table. aYouall get yourself arrested if you arenat careful,a he said with good humor.

aHey, Iam discretion itself.a Aiden laughed. aDiscretion? You once had s.e.x in a theater balcony. I ought to know, I was sitting next to you. Couldnat hear the whole second act.a aIt was dark, and it gave you a hard-on. Besides, it was an acrobatic circus. You didnat need to hear anything.a aI liked the music. If it hadnat taken me so d.a.m.n long to get the tickets, Iad have been out of there.a Shareem were only allowed at the live theater if they sat in the highest balcony out of sight and only on nights when important people wouldnat attend. The joy of being Shareem, Aiden reflected.

Braden started to say something flip, then his expression changed to one of guarded surprise. aWell, holy s.h.i.+t.a Aiden felt a presence behind him. He turned around and looked upa”and up and upa”at a huge black-leather-covered man whose face was swathed in sun-blocking cloths. He slowly removed his sun goggles, the blue of his eyes glinting as he took in the three at the table.

aCalder,a Aiden said, nodding a greeting.

aHe comes out of his cave,a Braden said. aHave a seat, my friend. Or are you going to stand there until Judith faints in ecstasy?a Judith had gone perfectly still in the act of clearing a table, her gaze riveted to the leather outline of Calderas tall body and the fall of black hair that reached his a.s.s. Calder moved past Braden to take the seat in the shadow of the corner.

Aiden tried not to stare at the reclusive Shareema”he didnat want to poke into Calderas private h.e.l.la”but it was hard not to look. Calder rarely emerged from his lavish and expensive apartments and never, ever without covering every inch of his body first.

As Calder sat down, he unwound his face-covering cloths, keeping a fold over his left cheek. The right side of his face was fine, but what Aiden could see of the left was a maze of scars and puckered skin.