Authors: Trina M Lee
Guilt rolled through me, and I sighed. “So do I.”
“Come on, let’s go kick Shaz’ ass at pool. We can team up against him.”
Doing something as mundane and human as shooting a game of pool was just what I needed. I’d been leery of Shaz’ insistence to celebrate my birthday. I didn’t think I could have an outing that wasn’t one supernatural incident after another, but this was nice. It was uneventful, for the most part, and I couldn’t have been happier with that.
It was well past one in the morning when I felt the thrilling rush of Arys’ presence. I was momentarily breathless, excited just by the sight of him. His hair was messier than usual, but it was no less sexy than any other time. I couldn’t wait to run my fingers through it. I couldn’t help but ogle his bare, muscular arms and the way his shirt defined his firm body. The dim lighting glinted off the silver rings in his nose and lip. The lusty urge to nibble the one in his lip was strong.
Arys swept past Shaz on his way to me, pausing long enough to smack the end of Shaz’ pool cue as he lined up his shot. Shaz’ cue slipped, knocking one of Kylarai’s balls into a nearby pocket. He whirled around to glare into Arys’ smirking face.
“Fuck you.” Shaz’ eyes flashed with a deadly light. Then a small grin broke over his handsome face, and he gave Arys a shove.
I couldn’t help but grow tense as I watched them. Though I’d never say it to either of them, part of me found it to be a bit of a turn on when they went at each other, as long as there was no real chance of anybody getting seriously hurt.
“What took you so long?” I demanded as Arys swept me into his arms.
He kissed me before I could utter another word. It stole my breath and left me weak in the knees.
“Happy birthday, my gorgeous wolf.” He chuckled, a low sensual sound that got my blood pumping. “You’ll get your gift later, back at your place. Which is what took me so long to get here.”
“Gift?” I raised a brow, suspicious and curious. “Why does nobody honor the no gift rule?”
“Trust me. You want this gift. Me and the wolf pup are even going to play nice tonight. Just for you.” The wink and the fang-revealing smile he gave me spoke volumes. “Are you ready to abandon the drunken human festivities yet? Looks like Shaz is about as drunk as I like him to be.”
Arys was in a devilish mood. It practically oozed from him. He didn’t even sound angry when he said, “Sinclair was here. I can smell him on you.”
“He was only here for a minute. Don’t you dare bite me in here.”
“No. I’ll save that for later.” Arys’ rare eagerness
was refreshing and infectious.
Shaz and Arys locked eyes, sharing a look before Shaz turned back to his game. They had something planned. That much was apparent. I was intrigued. This didn’t happen often, not with Shaz’ personal issues regarding Arys and the intimacies that arose when the three of us were together. I was certainly looking forward to the rest of my evening.
Kylarai sunk the eight ball, and there was a whoop of boastful shouting as she celebrated her victory over Shaz. “You owe me a drink. I kicked your ass just like I told you I would.”
Shaz tossed his cue down on the table and feigned a dirty look. “No fair. My game was sabotaged by the asshole.”
“I’m almost ready to call it a night, Lex.” Ky sidled up next to me, nodding in greeting to Arys. “I’ll take the two crazies back to my place for the night. I assume you have plans with these two.”
I followed her gaze to where Zoey and Jez were challenging a table full of guys to a shot-for-shot contest. Those guys had no idea what they were up against. Jez would drink them all under the table and still be able to walk a straight line in her heels.
“Thanks for coming out, Ky. You’re a good friend.” I hugged her close, sensing the inner pain she was masking so well on the surface. What I wouldn’t have given to take it from her. “I love you. And again, I’m so sorry about Julian.”
“Forget it.” She waved me off, keeping that strong outward facade firmly in place. “I love you, too, Lex. I’m so happy to know you. You’re an amazing person. Even if you are a little scary sometimes.” Her laughter was musical, bringing a smile to my face. “I’ll go round up the rowdies. Come by tomorrow for your gift.”
After being forced into a few last birthday shooters and a series of last drunken birthday wishes, goodbyes were said, and my intoxicated friends made their way out. The DJ shouted that it was last call, sending a flock of people rushing up to the bar.
Arys turned to Shaz and me with fire in his eyes. “Now, if you two are successfully liquored up and finished with the meager entertainment,” he gestured to the dance floor and pool tables, “let’s go get the real party started.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
As I pushed open the door to my house, I was greeted by the warm glow of dozens of carefully placed candles. The front sitting room walls were decorated in shadows that danced with the flames from floor to ceiling. I paused to admire the welcoming warmth. It was serene and more than a little romantic.
A vase of wild flowers sat on the table near the door. I leaned in to smell them, savoring the heady scent. “Aw, did you guys do all this? It’s so sweet.”
“Arys did it, but it was my idea.” Shaz grinned and gave me a light smack on the rear.
I dropped my purse on the table and reached down to pull off my heels. Arys stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Leave them on.”
The desire in his midnight blue eyes made it impossible to deny his request. Leaving the stilettos on, I followed the candles through the house. It must have taken Arys hours to arrange them all. The aromatic concoction of cinnamon and vanilla was tantalizing. I had a weakness for the scent of vanilla.
The glow of the flames lit up the path to the bedroom downstairs, leaving everything outside the immediate area dark. It created an eerie contrast of light and dark that left me wanting to search the darkness though I knew nobody lurked within it.
In the doorway to the bedroom, I stopped and surveyed the mass of candles adorning every table top and dresser in there, too. The bed was layered in red, pink and white rose petals. Two bottles of champagne sat in a tub of ice on the dresser. The ridiculously cliché setup would normally have me laughing at the sappy romanticism of it. But, I seldom got the chance to be silly and cliché, so I was going to enjoy it.
“It’s totally cheesy, isn’t it?” Shaz slipped an arm around me from behind and kissed the back of my neck.
“Yes. I love it though.”
Arys swept past us, entering the room with a smooth glide. He regarded me for just a moment before reaching to free my hair from the pins that held it. Tossing them on the bedside table, he nodded his approval as my blond locks tumbled down around me.
“Much better.” With a hand under my chin, Arys lightly kissed me, the briefest touch.
Standing between the two of them, the sensation of their bodies against mine taunted me. The promise of what was to come stirred the longing low in my core. It was good to be the birthday girl.
Sharing an intimate encounter together, the three of us, didn’t happen as often as Jez would like to imagine it did. It was a mind-blowing experience, to have them both at the same time. It was one of the few times the tension between Shaz and Arys slipped away completely.
“Champagne?” Arys was across the room popping the cork on the bottle before I could reply.
“No way,” Shaz shook his head and steered me toward the bed. “You’re not getting me drunk.”
“You’re already drunk. Besides, you process it fast.” Arys held a glass out to each of us. “Humor me.”
I hid a smile as I took the glass. Arys did prefer Shaz to be loosened up. It gave him greater allowance to push Shaz’ boundaries.
“So, do you want your gift now, or later?” Shaz sipped from the champagne glass, pointedly looking at Arys before abandoning it on the table.
“I thought you two were my gifts.” I glanced down at Shaz where he knelt at my feet. He ran a hand up the inside of my leg, toying with the ribbon from my heels that wound around my ankle.
“We are.” With predatory poise, Arys plucked the glass from my hand and watched Shaz slowly slide his hands further up my leg. “Just relax, Alexa, and let us celebrate you.”
I stepped carefully out of my dress, sliding it down my legs. My gaze met Arys’. He watched with dark desire, looking me over like I was something to be feasted upon. It was a dangerous look, one that had me quivering. Anticipation built quickly.
With a small growl, Shaz nipped at the inside of my leg. I gasped when the warm flick of his tongue followed. His fingers found the soft stretchy material of my pink G-string. In an aggressive motion that sent a shock through me, he drew them aside and pressed his mouth to my most private region.
My fingers slid through his hair, and the sudden surprise of his tongue knocked me off-balance. Arys chuckled and
came to stand
behind me, encouraging me to lean back against him. Happy to allow him to support my weight, I felt the sharp touch of Shaz’ fangs, and I moaned.
Arys gazed down my body, watching Shaz. The wolf glanced up to lock eyes with the vampire, and there was an intensity so deep in his jade green eyes that I almost lost myself. I couldn’t read his expression, but I had a feeling that Arys could. Their best communication came in the form of silence and deep stares. I often felt like they were sharing something I wasn’t in on, but it never bothered me. Only in those times did I feel they were united.
Sweeping my hair off my neck, Arys bit lightly at the exposed vein there. A pleasurable tickle shot down my spine, making me giggle in a way that I hated but Arys loved. Gently, he reached around to cup my breasts. It didn’t match the aggressive attention I received from Shaz as he kissed and licked me with undeniable hunger. I groaned when Arys caressed my nipples until they stood firm, my fingers tightening in Shaz’ hair.
It didn’t take long for them to bring me to the brink of climax. Though when I expected to plunge over into that amazing abyss of ecstasy, Shaz denied me that glorious fall. Instead he pulled away, teasing me lightly with his tongue, ignoring my frustrated growl.
He slowly slid my panties down my legs before rising to his feet. Arys followed his lead, stripping me from the confines of my bra. I reached for Shaz, wanting to feel the silk of his hair between my fingers again, but he stepped just out of reach and began to disrobe.
His eyes were all wolf. It wouldn’t be long until he was all fangs and claws, just the way I liked him. Tearing my gaze from his, I appreciated his fine form, admiring the curves of his muscles, the way that little smattering of hair below his belly led to the finely sculpted organ that I ached for with anticipation.
The power between Arys and I flared to life with a staggering strength as he reacted to my growing passion. It flowed through the room with an almost audible
whoosh
, followed by a small gasp from Shaz as he felt it. I studied him, curious to see how it affected him.
Shaz reached for me with clawed hands that left faint bloody scratches where they touched my skin. Sliding one hand under my leg, he lifted it so that he could step in between my legs and easily slip inside me. In time with his thrust, he kissed me with a bruising ferocity that left small cuts on my lips and tongue from his fangs.
I could feel Arys’ growing intrigue as he stood behind me, his face just inches from Shaz’ over my shoulder. The press of his erection against my back was exciting. I reached back to play in the soft hair at the nape of his neck.
For one interesting moment, Shaz and Arys stared into one another, each of them on opposing sides of me. For just a second, I thought Arys was going to close the distance between them, but Shaz pulled away before it could happen. The memory of the one and only kiss they’d shared lingered in my mind. It had been extraordinarily sexy.
It had also been something that had pushed Shaz across his own boundary line. He would never give himself fully to Arys, whether or not the vampire desired such a thing. I knew that much. But, how much of himself was he willing to give? That remained to be seen.
As Shaz slowly loved me, Arys warmed until the heat rolled off him. He was feeding off of us, basking in our heady werewolf energy. I could feel him getting off on the spicy sexual energy we were creating, and I longed to feel it as he did.
Arys pulled away, leaving me void of his
warmth
. Shaz took the opportunity to turn us so the bed was behind him. Holding tightly to me, he fell back on the bed, pulling me down on top of him. For a humorous moment, I sprawled haphazardly atop him. We both laughed while Arys merely rolled his eyes at our drunken idiocy.