Van, Becca - Keeley's Opposition [Terra-Form 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (5 page)

Chapter Four

Keeley came awake with a start. She scrambled to her feet when she saw two strange men standing over her. She backed away from them but only managed two steps before her back hit the tree.

“Are you all right, little one?” one of them asked her.

She nodded her head and tensed when the taller of the two moved toward her.

“Don’t be afraid, we will not hurt you. You are wounded. We want to help you.”

She didn’t respond, just stood staring at the strange men. She didn’t know them and was too wary to speak.

“I am Cedric and this is my brother Hugh. We are of the panther clan. Our mate is Olivia, and if you will come with us, we will take you to our home and see that you are cared for.”

Keeley took a step toward Cedric and then another. She felt more secure now that she knew these men had a mate.

“How were you injured?” Hugh asked her.

She didn’t answer but shrugged her shoulders instead. What did it matter now? She didn’t care. She just wanted to find a way to get back home.

“Come and we will take you to our home,” Cedric reiterated.

She followed. By the time she stepped into the foyer of their home a few minutes later, her arm was burning something fierce. She followed them into a large dining room which was filled with many people. Among them was the petite woman with a small baby bump she had seen standing beside Bradford when she first arrived on Terra-form. The woman rushed over to the men. Keeley turned away as they kissed and then turned back when she felt a hand on her other arm.

“Hi, I’m Olivia. Are you okay, Keeley?”

Keeley nodded and looked away when tears pricked her eyes.

“Let me take you to our healers. Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“No.” She wanted to talk about anything except that. “I saw you before,” Keeley said as she and Olivia left the dining room. “You were in the forest with…with someone else.”

“So that
was
you,” Olivia replied. “Bradford swept you away so fast I wasn’t sure.”

Keeley was afraid that Olivia would ask her what happened with Bradford, but she changed the subject. “That’s interesting,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “April was there with one of my mates when I came through to Terra-form. I was there today when the portal opened for you…I’m assuming you’re from Earth.”

“Yes,” Keeley said, puzzled.

“And I’m assuming Bradford is your mate? One of them, at least?”

Keeley’s stomach twisted, but she answered, “Yes.”

“That’s interesting,” Olivia said again. Before she could say anything more, they reached a door. Olivia opened it, and the two women stepped into a small but well-appointed clinic. Two men, who Olivia introduced as clan healers Reese and Ryol, immediately sprang to their feet and attended to the cuts on Keeley’s arm. In a matter of minutes, her wounds were cleaned and bandaged.

“Are you hungry, Keeley?” Olivia asked.

“No, but I am thirsty,” she replied.

“Come on then and we’ll go back to the dining chamber.”

“It’s the other way,” Keeley stated with a smile and Olivia rolled her eyes, but she also smiled back.

“I have a terrible sense of direction, if you hadn’t gathered.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. You seem to get around fine,” Keeley replied.

Olivia laughed and hooked her arm through Keeley’s. “I know we are going to be good friends.”

Keeley hesitated when they were just inside the door to the dining chamber. A tall, handsome man walked up to Olivia, plucked her from her feet, and ravished her mouth. Keeley looked away and gazed around the room, then lowered her eyes when she saw everyone staring at her.

She looked up when Olivia touched her arm. Olivia introduced her to Ben, her third mate. They were soon joined at the head table by April, a stunning blonde woman with a baby in her arms, and her mates, Gate, Saxon, and Ben..

No sooner had Olivia finished the introductions than a commotion in the hallway drew Keeley’s attention. She could hear roaring, snarling, and hissing and wondered what the hell was going on. Gage, Saxon, Ben, and Tony raced from the room, and men left their seats to block all the exits.

She felt the blood drain from her face when she heard Liam’s voice. She jumped from her seat and ran. She tried to push her way through the barrier of men, but they wouldn’t let her. Then she heard Bradford snarl with fury, and she through a gap between bodies, she caught sight of April’s mates restraining him. She ducked her head, bent over, and pushed her way through the crowd. She stood up straight and glared at Gage, Saxon, and Tony.

“Let Bradford go now and call the others off Liam and Lucius,” Keeley commanded.

“They have barged into our home without being invited and they have fought with several of my warriors. Why the hell would I let them go?” Gage asked her.

“Don’t you dare speak to my mate that way. If you do so again I will fucking rip you apart,” Liam snarled.

“She’s your mate?” Gage asked, then roared with laughter.

Keeley had no idea what was so funny, but was pleased when her men were released.
Shit. Where did that come from? They’re not my men. Are they?

“You may take your woman and leave. Next time you want to enter my house, wait for an invitation. Just remember the panther clan will always be rulers of Terra-form,” Gage snarled.

“Gage, wait,” April interrupted.

Keeley looked at April when she halted next to her. She listened intently as April whispered in her ear.

“You can stay here if you don’t want to leave with your mates, Keeley. They will not be able to take you from our house as my men will not let them stay. You have a safe haven here if you ever need it. The panthers and lions may not always get along, but you can consider me a friend.”

Keeley nodded to let April know she had heard her. Bradford walked toward her and picked up her injured arm. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled. He roared and then gathered her into his arms. Liam and Lucius moved to her side, and they mirrored Bradford’s actions.

“That fucking she-bitch,” Liam roared. “I will tear her apart.”

“No,” Keeley snapped.

“No!” Lucius snarled. “Why would you protect the one that hurt you?”

“She’s not worth it,” she replied with a shrug. She moved out of Bradford’s hold and stepped back.

“Are you ready to come home with us, Keeley?” Bradford asked.

She was conscious of their audience. The hostility between the lions and the panthers was almost tangible. She still needed to talk to her men, and she wasn’t ready to be claimed. But she wasn’t here to cause problems. And she was so happy to see them. “Of course, my mates,” Keeley said, and she crossed the space to them. Bradford and Lucius each took one of her hands and began to lead her away.

“Don’t forget what I said, Keeley,” April called.

“Thank you. I won’t,” she answered.

She saw the hallway was lined with tall, muscular men, and they glared at her men. She didn’t like the way they hissed and snarled as they walked past, but she kept her mouth shut and her head held high. She didn’t glance left or right. She kept her head straight and hardly dared to breathe until she was outside once more.

Keeley’s mates didn’t speak to her, but Lucius and Bradford didn’t release their hold on her hands either. She looked back and saw Liam staring, then felt his gaze burning a hole between her shoulder blades and tensed up even more. She stumbled over a tree root and gasped when Lucius swept her up into his arms. She closed her eyes and breathed in his masculine scent. Her pussy clenched and gushed, and she opened her eyes when she heard all three of her men growl. Lucius began to run, and she was surprised when she wasn’t jolted in his arms. She looked up at Bradford and then over Lucius’s shoulder to Liam. They were eating her with their eyes.

Chapter Five

Keeley was carried through the house and into the large bedroom. Lucius placed her on her feet and held her steady. When she gave him a nod he released her and stepped back. She heard the door slam closed and looked over at Bradford and Liam. They moved toward her with predatory grace, and she couldn’t stop from taking a step back.

“Do not be afraid of us, Keeley. We would never hurt you,” Liam rumbled out.

“Tell us what that she-bitch Louisa said and did to you,” Lucius stated gently.

She took a breath and related what had happened. She took another step back when she saw fury in all three of the men’s eyes.

“We are not angry with you, Keeley. We are, however, furious with her. She will be dealt with, honey.”

“I told you not to bother,” Keeley said firmly. “And that’s not what we need to talk about.”

She watched them look at each other. Bradford was the one who spoke first. “We shouldn’t have left you the way we did,” he said. Keeley was surprised by the emotion in his voice. “We never wanted anything to harm you.”

“Including Louisa,” Lucius said darkly.

“Including those panthers,” Liam added with a growl.

“When you thought we were in danger from the panther Alphas, you pushed through a wall of warriors and demanded they release us,” Bradford said. His words sounded almost awed. “If you did not care for us, you would have not done so. We wish to show you that we care for you, too.”

Keeley didn’t know how to answer that, but Liam prevented her from having to come up with an answer when he touched her shoulder.

“Let us make love to you,” Liam said. “We don’t have to claim you yet—”

“Unless you’ve changed your mind about the claiming?” Lucius suggested hopefully.

Keeley hesitated but shook her head. “I want to know you better first.”

“We understand, honey,” said Liam. “We want to know you, too. We want to know everything about you.”

“Would you like to bathe, baby?” Bradford asked.

“Yes, please,” she replied.

“Come then, honey. Will you let us wash you?” Lucius asked.

Keeley couldn’t have spoken even if she had tried. She didn’t answer but began to remove her clothes. Once she was naked she looked up to see her mates had also stripped. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. They were absolutely magnificent. She had never seen more handsome, sexier men than the ones standing so proudly before her.

“Yes,” she finally answered.

She shrieked and clung to Liam as he scooped her up. He carried her across the room to a door she had noticed before and took in the large, white, pristine bathroom. The walls, floor, and ceiling were stark white. There was a massive shower recess big enough for six people, and off to the other side of the room was a large, black, square tub. Lucius carried her to the shower and stepped behind the half wall. There were six handheld shower heads spaced out around the back wall and sides.

Liam lowered her legs so she could stand and reached behind her to turn the shower on. Keeley expected cold water to rain down over her and was surprised when warm water flowed instead. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let the liquid soothe her. She whimpered and opened her eyes when hands began to caress her body.

Liam stared at her as he washed her. Lucius and Bradford entered the shower, and then two more sets of hands ran over her body. Her breasts swelled, and her nipples elongated. Her womb contracted, and her pussy clenched as her juices began to flow once more.