Shari smoothed her hands down her front and settled herself before answering.
“I’m fine. You just scared the crap out of me.”
We are headed home. Is there anything you require?
Vincent belonged to the voice in her head and he sounded amused. Shari thought about his question and finally answered truthfully.
“Actually there is. I need you both to answer questions. Questions about why I’m really here and just what is happening between us.”
Both brothers tried to answer her at once.
“No. This will have to wait until you get home. I’m sorry, but I need to see you face-to-face.” The brothers’ agreement came through quietly.
* * * * *
Shari went on with her self-directed tour while waiting for the men to return.
There was a burning brazier of hot coals just like any used throughout countless castles and hovels in the days when knights roamed the earth. And yet, a few feet apart from them stood modern conveniences the likes of which she had never seen.
Shaking her head in wonder, Shari marveled at her surroundings. She was indeed in another world, even perhaps another time, but most definitely another place.
She continued to survey her surroundings. Murals depicting scenes of what must have been everyday life in Aranak adorned walls. Some images held children laughing in play, chasing one another across fields of flora and fauna, while others still were of adults, both paired and threesomes, in loving embraces. To be sure, they were each a beauty to behold.
Nearing the other side of the room, still lost in the wonder of images and objects, she didn’t hear the footsteps as they came upon her until a voice spoke behind her.
“We are here at your command,
Kasha
. What is it you need of us?”
Startled, Shari turned to find Vincent behind her, a look of bemusement on his face. Schooling her features, Shari smiled and shook her head.
“Yes. Where’s Shan Lin?”
“Right behind me.” Vincent answered, coming into the room. Shari watched him as Vincent dropped onto the nearest piece of furniture. Noticing his worn out look, the way his eyes closed as his body began to sink into the pliable surface, she wondered just what had called the brothers away.
She opened her mouth to question Vincent but was interrupted by Shan Lin’s entrance.
“Shari? You called for us?” His voice sounded as tired as both he and Vincent looked. Shari watched him as she had Vincent and found Shan Lin, like his brother, sinking into the nearest furniture bone tired.
Thoughts of the questions she wanted to ask were pushed back from her mind as she excused herself to find Winters. Taking no more than a few steps out the room’s doorway, she ran into him.
“My Lady Princess? How may I serve?”
“Actually, you can call me Shari. My Lady Princess seems so… Anyway. That aside, your…
my
husbands need food and drink. Can you tell me where I can…?”
Shari had wanted to know where she could find them as her tour had not quite made it to the kitchen, but Winters interrupted her.
“My Lady Shari, it would be my honor to procure your husbands’ sustenance. Please, allow me to see to their needs.”
Shari nearly laughed at the man’s concession to using her name. Shrugging mentally, Shari tried asking again where the kitchen was located.
“Please, Winters. I want to do something for my husbands. I…” Shari felt the blush begin, “I want to…take care of them.” This time her face was on fire. She had only met Shan Lin and Vincent, what, two days ago? Yet here she was, her emotions surfacing where they were concerned. She wanted to care for them.
An embarrassed laugh escaped.
“I feel silly, but they…they’re mine now, Winters. I can’t explain it but,” Shari shrugged helplessly, “there it is.”
Winters nodded solemnly and Shari suspected the man was biting the inside of his lip trying not to laugh at her. Taking a deep breath, Shari tried again.
“Please, I’d like to find the kitchen.”
“Of course, My Lady Shari. If you will follow me please.” Winters said no more but pivoted and led Shari toward a new part of the house. In moments Shari was guided through the double doorway of the kitchen. Once again, she was astonished at the size of the place. Half the military forces of the United States could easily fit in this kitchen.
Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a bit, but the place was huge. Men and women of all ages and different hues worked side-by-side preparing various foods and the room smelled delicious.
“My Lady Princess.” Winters spoke in a loud voice and the commotion in the room ceased. Shari tried not to gape as men and women, their hands full of a variety of items, turned their attention to her. Each individual bowed or curtsied as best they could then stood at attention.
Shari looked to Winters wondering if she was supposed to do something.
“They are waiting for your approval, My Lady Princess.” Winters acknowledged Shari’s unspoken question.
Shari cleared her throat and schooled her features. She prayed her voice wouldn’t squeak when she spoke, and prayed equally hard to say the right thing.
“Yes, I enjoyed dinner. I especially enjoyed the Tine Chocolate Tort served for dinner. Thank you.”
There. That should do it
, Shari thought as she took a few steps in the direction of what looked to be a fridge. If she had stopped to watch the faces of those in the room, she would have seen the smiles of laughter on their faces.
Winters cleared his throat and Shari stopped as she reached for what she thought might be the handle to the appliance. Turning her head in his direction, Shari waited as he came up beside her.
“My Lady Princess. Please, all you need do is ask. Anyone here will fulfill your wants.”
Shari almost blushed again before she took in his true meaning. Smiling, she laid her arm on Winters sleeve not noticing the heads turning in her direction.
Before she could remind him again, a voice spoke.
Shari? Is something wrong?
There was tension in the question and Shari sighed. Shan Lin was worried.
“I’m…”
She was interrupted by a growl from the doorway.
“Winters.” a voice bellowed and Shari nearly tipped over when Winters yanked his arm away from Shari’s light grasp. Shan Lin stood in the doorway to the kitchen, his gaze scanning the room as Vincent came toward her.
Vincent passed the man with a snarl causing Winters to scuttle quickly out of the way.
“Vincent!” Shari admonished her husband, quickly meeting him half way. “What was that for?” she asked even as he reached out and grasped hold of her, pulling her into his arms in a protective grasp.
Before she knew what was happening, Shan Lin had joined them. Shari looked at Shan Lin with a questioning look. He smiled at her and reached down to smooth a stray lock of her hair.
“What is it?” Shari asked, concerned.
“Relax, Vincent,” Shan Lin drawled before speaking to Shari. “We were concerned when you did not return immediately. We wanted to assure ourselves you were fine.”
Shari squirmed in Vincent’s hold until he loosened his grip.
“I’m fine,” Shari answered, glaring at Vincent. “I told you two I’d be right back. You both looked tired and I…” She was loathed to admit she had wanted to feed and comfort them, but resigned to the situation, she explained.
“I just wanted to pamper the two of you a bit.” The mumbled words fell from her lips as her gaze slid away from Vincent to Shan Lin. A gleeful joy lit Shan Lin’s features.
“And if you tell me it’s only natural because it’s my wifely duties, I’ll…” Her words were cut off when Shan Lin bent his head and took her mouth. Shari’s knees weakened at the kiss as he coaxed open her mouth and devoured her. Shari wrapped her arms around Shan Lin’s torso as her own body began to respond to the assault.
Lost in the kiss it took her a moment to realize Vincent had begun to nibble on her neck and his hands were kneading her ass. Pulling away from Shan Lin gently, Shari nudged Vincent with her butt.
“Guys…” she began, her skin flushed from the sensual encounter, “…we have company.” She finished lamely, gesturing toward the men and women surrounding the three of them.
Vincent’s husky chuckle sounded in her ear.
“It matters not who is around. If we knew it would not embarrass you, we would sweep the counter behind you free and take you here and now.”
Shari’s body temperature, which had been peaking quite fine already, shot up another ten degrees. Her pussy, rarely dry around the two men, became saturated completely. Doing her best to control her breathing before she hyperventilated, she reached out to the nearest surface and leaned heavily against it.
“Lord, do you do things to my body. My heart’s pounding…” Her heart. Her brain connected the two things slowly. It was what she wanted to speak to the two men about.
Deep breaths, Shari. Just take deep breaths.
“That was what I wanted to talk to you two about.” Shari turned to Vincent who still had hold of her hips. “It would help if you two weren’t crowding me, too. I just get flustered and…”
“
Kasha
, you humble us.” Vincent rumbled, his voice gruff.
“Why?” Shari asked confused.
Shan Lin answered for the two men.
“You have told us you wanted to see to our comfort. Your response to us as your husbands has made our lovemaking extraordinary. Your feelings for us…”
“See, that’s just it. I’ve known you for two whole days. You tell me we got married. Not that it was something I remember, but all right, I’ll go with it since you’ve told the truth about me being in Aranak. I’ve handled the mind thing pretty well so far. I’ve pretty much stopped looking for the real royal person who goes by the name of ‘My Lady Princess’, since who’d ever have thought it was me. I think I’ve been handling things well. Trynannasuti and all.”
Shit! You’re rambling woman. Take a breath.
She did, but quickly let it out.
“And now, even though I’m not one for love at first sight, somehow the two of you have become extremely important to my well being. I’d just like to know…” Shari thought of all the times she had heard soul-mates, life-mates, and things like it, “…well, if we’re soul-mates, life-mates, whatever, how come I’ve never heard you two…”
Suddenly, she could not bring herself to ask. The ‘L’ word was not something she had ever thought to experience. Her own emotions had become engaged rapidly ever since she had seen the two men walk through the door of Karen’s apartment back on Earth.
“Shari,” she heard her name in stereo.
“What?” she mumbled in a small voice.
“
Kasha
.” Spoken again in stereo.
“What?” she asked once again, her voice growing stronger.
“Are you telling Shan Lin and myself that you are in love with us?” The question came gently despite Vincent’s gruff voice as he turned her body to face him.
“I don’t know.” Shari expected the words to come out shrilly. Instead, her voice sounded hesitant, confused. She looked into the dual colored eyes of her husband and nearly drowned in the glowing love they held. His eyes were suddenly shining with the golden light she had previously seen when the two brothers had screwed her into unconsciousness.
A hand reached out from behind her and swiveled her body back so she faced Shan Lin.
“
Kasha.
” The husky endearment shot straight to Shari’s heart this time. The velvet timbre and longing she heard nearly brought tears to her eyes.
Strangers or not, she had fallen in love with these two men.
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Shari turned her head to look back at Vincent but her attention was diverted, by a woman staring at the spectacle the three of them must be making. The woman was crying silently, tears streaming down her face as a smile nearly split her face in two.
“Beautiful.” The whispered word reached Shari.
Chapter Twelve
Shari came down to breakfast with Vincent feeling content. After the bath she, Shan Lin, and Vincent had taken this morning, some of the apprehension she had about being in an alternate universe had diminished.
“Winters, good morning.” Shari called out the greeting as she and Vincent entered the dining room.
“Good morning, My Lady Princess. I trust you slept well last night.” He answered her, waiting behind the chair she had sat in the night before. Situated at the head of the curved, ornately carved table, surrounded on either side by two others, was a chair of prominence, something fit for royalty.
Vincent escorted her to it and dismissing Winters, seated her himself.
“As a matter of fact, Winters, I did.” Smiling shyly, Shari looked over the elegantly set table to find crystal goblets, gold plates and cups, and discreetly feeling the linen tablecloth. The night her husbands’ cousin had dined with them she had paid little heed to what she ate off of or drank out of, and now was amazed she missed the splendor set before her.
“Is My Lady Princess ready to dine?” Winters asked and Shari let go of the cloth she had been fondling.