Let’s Get It On

let’s get it on

T he ride home is quiet until we’re outside of the city limits. Only then does Lucas turn in his seat to look at Liam curiously.

“I know Jax told me you went to bat for me. That was cool, man.”

I smile to myself at the relative simplicity of how men communicate big things. Catching Liam nodding in the rearview, I move my focus back to the road as I speak. “It’s weird that this amped up so quickly. The people pulling the strings must have very specific timelines in mind to force the police to take such drastic measures without proper support.”

“But what are they aiming to achieve is the real question,” Liam says. “Obviously, screwing with Lucas fucks with the hockey program. It distracts you, and possibly Fr?u Wolfberg. But none of those things seems worthy of such an elaborate scheme.”

Lucas frowns as he slouches in his seat. “Unless there’s shit we don’t know about. Fuck if I know what Nana is voting on or involved in with the Society or her Council. M is reviewing financials for every department at the college. Maybe there’s something hidden in that? Wouldn’t surprise me.”

My brow furrows. “Or maybe both can be true? My placement here allows someone with nefarious intentions toward the Council to discredit findings based on my past. If I discover some Ponzi bullshit or goddess knows what else, they’ll say I’m compromised. You being on trial would allow them to do the same for your grandmother.”

“Bad PR.” Liam sighs and I wait for him to continue. “That’s certainly a Fae tactic used in many coups over the years. The kingdoms and courts are easily breached for the major reasons anyone does shit: patriotism, money, or love. We’re all susceptible to the base enticements at some level.”

“Patriotism?” I snort and shake my head. “I don’t know if that’s a real thing anymore, especially in supe communities.”

Liam scoffs in response. His hands land on the seat backs as he leans in. “You’re taking a narrow view of it, lass. Whether it’s loyalty to kingdom, court, pack, Council, or even a specific sect, all our people can be motivated by wanting to take care of their brethren. If they’re bent certain ways, they also want to negatively affect those they consider lesser as well.”

“Maybe you are paying attention in those grad classes,” I say with a grin. “That’s very politically strategic thinking.”

“It’s sneaky as fuck,” Lucas says as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m just not… underhanded like that. It’s good I’ve got Thorne’s team and you guys to handle that. I guess I didn’t get the snake oil gene from Nana or my idiot parents.”

“Ah, but that makes you a rare shifter, Lucas. Someone who speaks plainly and is honest in their interactions without fail is not something you come across often, especially in the circles you grew up in. Perhaps it is why you were targeted? Your profile suggested you wouldn’t flee the scene to avoid being accused.”

By Hera’s shiny girdle, he’s probably right.

“I think you’re right, Li. Lucas makes a good fall guy because he’s not a shady asshole. He won’t run or outright buy his freedom from suspicion. They can count on this being a giant, ridiculous circus for as long as their pawns play ball.” Fury wells in my chest because I have so many things I have to do for my sentence and now I have actual things I want to do personally.

Like spend time with my mate and these men who seem determined to worm their way into my life.

“Being a good dude is actually working against me…The internet would lose its mind ,” the polar bears says with a chuckle. “I mean… that’s never true, right?”

“Rarely.”

The Prince laughs and I feel the tension in the car ease as we enjoy a moment of levity. “Kaspar is out doing what he does best. I believe Jackson said Kendrick is doing the same. They should yield some clues, at the very least. I assume the centuries of experience ferreting information will give them the best chance for success.”

Squinting at the mirror, I grumble, “Didn’t give them manners, though.”

“Truth. What is it with super dark, dangerous ‘K’ dudes and grumpy ass attitudes? I feel like it’s a thing,” Lucas says as he taps his fingers on his leg. “Not that I have a clue what the creepy dude on #TeamShark is. At least we know Kaspar is a storm dragon who’ll fry our asses if we piss him off. I can’t imagine what ‘Tall, Dark, and Malevolent’ can do.”

I pause briefly and shake my head. “He’s not a dragon. I can smell that. My senses aren’t as good as yours, Lucas, but my snakes know what that tastes like.”

“Gross,” my mate mutters. “Not your snakes, obviously, because I think it’s hot. I hate that it makes me think of old crusty dragon balls before you stabbed him to death. My bear dislikes that imagery a lot .”

Liam clears his throat. “My magic isn’t overly fond of it, either. If I’m being honest, I’d prefer to know he was out there so we could deal with him in a much more painful fashion than you did.”

I feel my face heat and it makes my gut clench in fear. Lucas is my mate, but the other men are… questions marks at the moment. I don’t trust how eagerly my mind and body respond to their possessive shit. It was hard enough to accept that Lucas and I were bonded forever after what I thought would be a one-night stand. Now the rest of them have stormed in and refuse to leave.

It’s a bit much for someone with as many trust issues as I have .

“ Well, unfortunately for you, I ran the motherfucker through so many times I severed things. So it’s not possible.” I shrug, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that they don’t understand how much my gorgon enjoyed taking her vengeance.

A low growl echoes in the car as I turn onto the road that leads to campus and I arch a brow at the bear next to me. He sniffs, looking unrepentant. “You’re hot when you’re vicious, too. The Prince agrees… I can smell it.”

I choke on my reply, putting all my energy into not wrecking as I head down the main drag toward Chancellor’s Row. “That’s… good information to have?”

“I’d say so, considering the teacher and the fish are headed back to class and everyone else has fucked off to do their tasks. It means the three of us have the house to ourselves.”

My eyes widen as I look at my mate, then back at the smug-looking Fae royal.

Are they suggesting what I think they are?

The running monologue in my head is loud enough that I feel like the men in my car should have been able to hear it as I navigated back to my house. I’m no wilting petal, nor am I inexperienced in group activities, but somehow, this has me on edge.

He’s a Prince, for fucks’s sake, and Lucas will inherit a bajillion dollars someday.

Not that I’m impressed by celebrities or royalty—in fact, my disdain for Magnus’ family tree in the dragon clan is part of why his death was such a scandal. Their family is deeply connected to some muckitty-muck dragons throughout Europe and so his murder was a much bigger deal than a normal, everyday supe. His uncle wanted me put to death by dragon fire, and made sure everyone in the courtroom knew it.

But… I’m an adopted kid with teachers for parents and before my ex, a pretty unremarkable life in terms of stardom. We were pretty solidly middle class, and that wasn’t a big deal to me. I didn’t yearn to be a famous pop star or some shiny CEO; I just wanted to work in academia. I enjoyed school and the atmosphere, so it was a natural fit.

Meeting Magnus at a charity event changed the trajectory of my life forever.

I pull into the driveway, turning the SUV’s engine off and removing the keys. My body is on auto-pilot as I try to figure out how to come to terms with the situation I’m walking into. It’s not like I’m going to drop to my knees and mimic that movie from the 90s with cries about not being worthy. However, I am still concerned about how I’m going to be received by all these crazy rich people families and their minions. It’s making me nervous about their proposal and I don’t like it.

“Morgana,” Lucas says as he approaches me carefully.

Blinking, I look up at his handsome face in surprise. I didn’t realize he’d come around to my side of the car. “Mmm?”

His hand brushes a lock of hair off of my face as he smiles. “Get out of your head. I don’t know what you’re stewing on, but if it’s about the Prince and I… You have nothing to worry about.”

“As if,” I scoff, slamming my car door shut. “I’m not worried about the two of you. You’re not the first two men to proposition me—not even the first to do it in a car.”

There. Now I feel less exposed.

“ Good to know, Salaadir . But you’re not wrong to wonder how this will be different.” Liam tilts his head, holding his hand out to me. I move towards him without thinking about it, and he grins. “There are many differences—both subtle and less so—between species, as well as ones that vary when you encounter a royal or an alpha.”

I take his hand and my temperature spikes by a thousand degrees as his hand squeezes mine. “I didn’t know that.”

“Especially when you are likely one yourself,” Lucas says as he joins us. “Because you, my slithery mate, are likely descended from alpha blood. That’s probably why our first time was so… explosive.”

“Who told you that?” I ask as they escort me up the steps to the front door.

His lips curve, and he winks. “I’ll never tell.”

We’ll see about that , my gargoyle growls in my head.

The guys stop, blinking at me. Lucas grins broadly as he lifts my free hand to his lips. “I felt that. One of your sides just surged throughout the bond like a steamroller. It made my bear want to wrestle for dominance. What was it?”

“The gargoyle,” I murmur as I punch in the code at the door. “She didn’t like when you said you wouldn’t tell me.”

Liam lets go of my hand, moving his to my lower back as he ushers me inside. “Now we know which side is the most in charge, Morgana. Your gorgon might be a defender, but the gargoyle is dominant. And she wants you to be as well.”

I give him a look that says ‘duh,’ and he shrugs. Rubbing the back of my neck, I turn to Lucas. “He doesn’t have an alpha inside of him. Will it always anger your bear?”

“Hell if I know. He doesn’t hate the idea of fighting for control, though, so perhaps we just have to encourage them to play nice and take turns.”

The scent of flowers fills the air and I turn to see Liam growing vines out of thin air, letting them curl as they grow toward the ceiling. “I can help with that. There are lots of ways magic can enhance things, Morgana. Have you been with a magic user before?”

“Not Fae,” I admit, as I watch the flowers in awe. “Twin demi-gods for a short time, but they… were a bit too flighty for my taste. And a small vampire coven… all before Magnus, obviously. But no one with the kind of magic you have.”

Liam winks as he whispers, “The magic both your professor and I have. Not to mention what variations the siren and Kaspar possess.”

I snort. “Kaspar will never be a concern. He’s made that very clear.”

“Yet he’s out sleuthing for clues.”

Shaking my head, I lean back into Lucas with a sigh. “Because you asked him to, and it’s his duty.”

“Not this. It has nothing to do—officially—with court business for the moment. This he could refuse if he so chose.” Liam grins as he steps forward, pressing me between the polar bear and his own muscles. “But he didn’t even protest much. You should think about that.”

“But not now,” Lucas says as he tilts my head to one side. His lips brush over my neck and I shudder. “Because right now, we have plans.”

Oh. Well, I can’t ruin their plans, now can I?