24. Lorna

Chapter 24

Lorna

I ignored the weird burning sensation from traveling between realms, instead focusing on Damon's luscious chocolate scent. His strong arms held me tight against his chest, and his wings enveloped me. All I could see—or smell—was my demon.

After everything I'd just witnessed in the Underworld, I really needed something normal.

Nothing in your life is normal, Mir said while nipping Damon's chest.

I laughed. She was the prime example of the chaos that was my life.

Shut up! I'm trying to see if I can bite through these damned scales.

You can't, I said, still laughing at her. Damon already told us that our tiny fangs weren't strong enough.

She huffed but also stopped trying to bite him.

I knew when we were back on Earth. The air felt like air again instead of the Underworld's thick, heavy magic. At least its magic hadn't killed me.

Damon's hard scales turned to flesh, and the room came into view. Damon's bedroom. I looked up, tracing the lines of his jaw with my eyes. His full lips curved into a smile, then he leaned down and kissed me. It was tender and sweet with a tiny edge of urgency.

I ran my hands up his back, following the muscles along his spine. His skin pebbled beneath my fingertips, and I grinned against his lips.

He ended our kiss with a smile of his own. "What's that smirk about?"

"I love the way you respond to my touch," I replied, kissing his jaw. "And I love that we're alone right now. And oddly enough, I'm glad we went to the Underworld. There's so much I still need to unpack from our visit, but I didn't leave there feeling awful."

"I agree. I was completely blindsided by the other dhampir." Damon's hands slid down my back and cupped my butt. My desire flared, like I wasn't already struggling not to grind myself against him. "I'll also need time to unpack the information overload. In the meantime…"

He pressed his lips against mine again, and I gave in to my lust. Damon was so tantalizing. His tongue danced with mine, promising all kinds of pleasure and reminding me of Nathan's tongue. My mood immediately shifted to uncertainty.

Damon pulled away, nipping my bottom lip. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I shook my head. "That's not true. I'm trying not to get hung up on having four guys ready and willing to make me… happy. I feel guilty every time I start comparing you all." Damon's eyebrows rose, and my face heated. I knew that look. "Exactly! You're each unique, and I love that about you, but I can't stop myself from thinking…"

"I would tell you to stop thinking about it, but I know that's not possible for you," he said. "But you do need to trust us to communicate our feelings and concerns. If we're not complaining, you shouldn't worry."

I knew he was right. I really did, but it was hard to change a lifetime of thinking differently.

"I'll do my best," I promised. "I know it doesn't help any of us for me to get hung up on this."

He gave my butt a gentle squeeze, then let me go. "As much as I'd like to have you all to myself, I suspect the others will come bursting through my door at any moment."

I sighed. It would be nice to have alone time with my demon.

Damon chuckled. "We'll get them up to speed, then come up with a solution for you and Nathan." I started to object, but Damon pressed a finger against my lips. "We can't wait to get that sorted. It will create resentment, which will make it harder for all of us."

"Fine," I mumbled against his finger.

Damon's bedroom door flew open, and Elliott rushed in. He stopped just inside the threshold with wide eyes.

"You're okay?" he asked.

"Yep!"

Kenrid pushed his way past Elliott and crossed the room. His cool summer rain wrapped around me with his hug. I kissed his neck and threaded my fingers into his hair, then forced myself to step away.

"It was a good visit," I said. "We have so much to talk about."

"Let's go in the living room where we can all be comfortable," Damon suggested, already leading the way.

Kenrid smiled at me and followed my demon. I caught up with them, grabbing Elliott's hand before he had a chance to leave.

"I need a hug," I said.

Elliott grinned and wrapped me up in his shifter magic and his warm embrace. "I'll never deny you."

"Where's Nathan?" I asked, putting a little space between us. "It's not morning already, is it?" I had no idea how long we'd been in the Underworld.

"He's waiting in the other room," Elliott said, giving me a knowing look.

Damon was right. We needed to figure out a way for me to be with Nathan. Not because I felt obligated. Not because I didn't want Nathan to feel left out. But because Nathan was part of our group—our family. Sure, there had been trust issues when we first met. How could there not be? I'm a dhampir, and he's a vampire.

But looking back at where we started and where we were right now, I couldn't imagine not having him in my life. He was like the glue holding his team together. Not the most vocal but still the most important part.

He didn't demand my attention, but I was starting to recognize his small tells that indicated he wanted it. When his eyes changed color, he was trying to suppress his longing for me. When one of the guys held my hand, or kissed my forehead, or something more intimate, Nathan left the room. Not because he didn't want me, but because he thought he needed to stay away. Seeing the affection between me and the others hurt.

Just like now. He stayed in the living room when he should've joined the others in welcoming us back.

I hated that it took me so long to figure it out.

And he's sexy! Mir said. I can't wait to gobble him up!

You're so crass!

You're so boring!

"Is everything good?" Elliott asked.

"Yeah." I smiled at him. "I can't wait to tell you what we found."

As we walked into Damon's living room, my eyes went straight to Nathan. Deep red ringed his irises when he met my gaze. He stood next to Damon at the end of the new sectional sofa, his hands in the pockets of his dress slacks. His white shirt was perfectly tailored for his lean, muscular physique. I hated that my first glimpse of his bare chest had been because of the torture he endured.

Kenrid stood on Damon's other side in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved Henley. He wasn't wearing his glamour, leaving all his fae traits on display. I smiled. He knew how much I loved his pointed ears, and I knew how very sensitive they were for him .

Sexy! Mir said again.

Stop! Heat rushed up my neck and consumed my cheeks, then headed straight through my core.

"Let's get comfy," Elliot said, scooping me off my feet, "and hear this story of yours."

He sat on the center cushion of the sofa and set me on his lap. I couldn't help but laugh. His growing erection pressed against my thigh, and I wasn't sure I'd make it through the whole story. I tried to scoot to one side, but he held me tight.

"Let's see who's brave enough to sit next to the wolf and his mate," Elliott whispered.

I turned sideways to see his face, shocked by the challenge in his voice. His smirk wiped away my concerns. It was so good to see the playful side of Elliott.

Nathan surprised me by moving first, taking the spot on my left. Kenrid sank into the cushion on my right. I turned to Damon, trying to squash my uncertainty. He just smiled and shook his head.

"Do you want to tell them?" Damon asked.

"Go ahead," I said. "I'll get lost in all the details. The castle was amazing and the endless fields off the balcony. Oh, and the tapestries. I need to ask you about those."

Damon laughed again, sinking into the opposite side of the sectional. "I'll let you describe the details later."

Damon spent the next twenty minutes repeating our conversation with Lucifer, giving a detailed accounting of dinner, plus Lucifer's expectations of him for the future. I only half listened.

As soon as Damon started talking, Nathan tugged at my left hand and placed it on his thigh. Nathan didn't look at me. He continued to listen to Damon talk about the number of dhampir who were at dinner with their demon partners. Then he absentmindedly trailed his finger up and down my arm. Goosebumps rose across my skin and my heart rate accelerated. Why did that soft caress feel so intimate?

Kenrid didn't give me time to think about it. He grabbed my other hand and laced his fingers with mine. He winked at me, then gave his full attention to Damon. Well, not quite his full attention. He splayed his free hand over my knee then ever so slowly inched up my thigh. The heat of his palm seemed to burn through my thin slacks the higher he went.

I squirmed with my rising desire. The guys had to notice—they always did—but they didn't say anything.

Both of Elliott's hands slid beneath my shirt, his calloused palms warming my stomach. He rested them against my skin, not moving, which was more of a tease than if he'd gone further south to my lady parts or north to my boobs.

I wiggled again and tugged at my hands. Neither Kenrid nor Nathan let go. Elliott's grip tightened around my waist. Between the three of them, I was stuck.

"Be still," Elliott whispered against my ear.

"The dhampir willingly stayed in the Underworld?" Nathan asked, like he hadn't just refused to release my hand.

"Yes. Lorna had an extensive discussion with several of them during dinner." I glanced up at Damon, and his eyes sparkled with mischief as he said, "Tell them about your conversation."

I cleared my throat. I was so damned turned on, I couldn't think about anything other than Kenrid's wandering touch, Elliott's warm palms against my skin, and the ghost of Nathan's fingers leaving a burning trail on my arm. Not just any trail. He was tracing the vein along my inner forearm.

My desire kicked up another notch with the thought of him biting me.

Why the hell was I so aroused? We needed to talk about everything that had just happened in the Underworld. We should be planning for Damon's new assignment . And yet here I was, acting like a horny teenager .

"I can't think straight," I mumbled. "Stop distracting me."

This time when I pulled away, three sets of hands left my body cold and aching to get them back. I slid off Elliott's lap and walked across the room, taking deep breaths and desperately trying to calm my hormones. I turned around to face my guys.

Nathan's piercing gaze nearly undid me. The end of his tongue moistened his lips, and I found myself mirroring his actions. Elliott groaned, and I forced myself to look at my wolf. He unashamedly adjusted the bulge in his jeans. Kenrid coughed. I jerked my attention to my fae and realized he was laughing, not coughing. The edgy smile he gave me promised all kinds of naughty things.

My face flamed, and I worried about needing to change my clothes. I was so turned on.

Forget about what happened in the Underworld, Mir insisted. Let's have some fun with the guys. They're the ones who love us and obviously want us. All the rest of that shit can wait.

Oh my God! All this neediness is your fault, isn't it? I knew it wasn't natural for me to be so damned horny.

No, you're the one lusting after your mates. Not that I blame you. They're hot!

I could feel her dishonesty. She was the one lusting and making it impossible for me to think. Okay, it wasn't all her, but I had enough composure to not act on my desires. Was she distracting me on purpose? She snarled at me, and I took a mental step back.

I thought you'd be excited to talk about the other dhampir, I said.

Mir didn't reply. I sighed, realizing that she must have some reservations or concerns. She had been unusually quiet the entire time we were in the Underworld.

You know you can talk to me, right? I asked.

Later .

She withdrew as far as she could, taking my sexual desire and leaving a good amount of guilt in its place. I should've asked how she was doing earlier, and I didn't. I sucked at relationships. This was why I had no friends. I sighed again and promised myself I'd make time for Mir.

"Several of the dhampir I spoke to all confirmed that the demons saved them from the fae." I tugged at my shirt, trying to straighten it after Elliott's attention. "The demons who feed them volunteered to be their partners as soon as the dhampir were awakened. I found it interesting that they were all awakened by a demon. None of the dhampir I talked to had even met a vampire. I guess I hadn't realized it was possible."

I glanced at Nathan. His eyes were now a deep blue with no hint of red. The smoldering look from earlier had cooled somewhat.

"Lucifer implied that they rescued some of the dhampir from vampires here on Earth, but I didn't get to talk to any of them." I looked at each of my mates and smiled. "It was really nice to find out that I'm not the last. I hadn't realized how depressing that was until today."

"Did you know there were other facilities in the fae realm?" Nathan leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees, directing his question to Kenrid.

"I had no idea," Kenrid replied. "Very few fae knew about the one I'd destroyed, but I guess I should've known there were more."

"Hindsight is always twenty-twenty," Nathan said. "It's easy to see it now especially after our confrontation with the queens. You couldn't have known at the time."

Kenrid shrugged.

"Don't sweat it, Kenny." Elliott nudged Kenrid, then looked over at Damon. "They want you to find any vampires who might be trying to create new dhampir?"

"Yes." Damon rose from his seat and crossed the space to stand beside me. "But we have to be very careful. No one can know that the Underworld is protecting the dhampir. They're stable and appear to be happy." He slid his arm around my waist but didn't take his eyes from Elliott. "I wouldn't have thought the fae queens were stupid enough to take on Lucifer's army, but their recent interactions have made me doubt their intelligence."

"Yeah." Elliott glanced at Kenrid then Nathan. "I don't want to seem selfish, but I'd like to get a taste of the magic you shared to create that shield. If the fae don't back down after Lucifer's threat, it might be a good idea to see how strong we can be." Elliott looked up at me with a tentative smile. "Together, I mean."

I had to force myself not to read into his words. That wasn't an apprehensive look on his face, right? Or was it anticipation? No, I wouldn't try to guess. I'd follow Damon's advice. If they weren't complaining, I shouldn't worry.

"Do we want to test it now?" Damon asked.

I looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at me. I followed his gaze to Nathan. My vampire's eyes swirled from blue to red, penetrating right through all my resolve. I thought I knew what that look meant.

"If everyone is in agreement," Nathan said, not taking his eyes from mine, "we have about an hour before sunrise."

Did I want to do this now? Would waiting ease my anxiety? Because now that they'd mentioned it, all I could think about was the possibility of officially claiming Nathan. Mir had suggested it before we left to go to the Underworld, but my brain wasn't capable of thinking about it then. Would Nathan agree?

I nodded. Kenrid stood, and Elliott joined him.

"Let's take this to the training room." Nathan rose to his feet.

"Change into something more comfortable." Damon gave me a quick side hug, then headed for his bedroom .

Kenrid started toward me, and I met him halfway. He wrapped his arms and his magic around me. "Preferably something you don't mind getting messy," he whispered.

I smiled and kissed his neck. As soon as he stepped away, Elliott was there cupping my face in his large hands. "I heard what Kenny said. Maybe not too messy."

He winked at me, and I once again forced myself not to read into his words. His kiss distracted me, even if it ended too soon.

Elliott left me alone with Nathan. Not really alone. All the guys had a bedroom in the tower, either in Nathan's wing or Damon's. There was no one else standing between me and the master vampire, though. This might've been the first time we'd actually been in the same room alone since I ambushed him in his office at the Fanged Prince.

I tugged at the end of my shirt, feeling extremely awkward.

"Are you sure you want to do this today?" Nathan asked, closing the space between us.

"It's a good idea." I clamped my hands together to keep them from reaching out to him. I needed him to make the first move. It was easy to tell myself to stop second-guessing, but everything seemed harder with Nathan.

"Is it what you want, though?"

He stopped right in front of me. I found the ivory button on his shirt extremely interesting.

"Lorna?"

I sighed. "Yes, I want to do this today. I want to find out how our connection works. I need to know how volatile it is." I looked up into his deep blue eyes. Not a hint of red stared back at me. "I don't know if I can be around you if I can't have you. All of you."

He searched my face for several seconds before settling his gaze on my lips. "I need all of you. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to stabilize the magic between us so I can keep you." The edge of his mouth quirked up. "Even if that means I have to convince Elliott to share."

A halfhearted laugh escaped me. "He's working on it. I'm impressed that he's done this well."

"He loves you," Nathan said. "He'll make it work. We all will."

"I don't deserve you all," I mumbled.

"Yes, you do." He leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine. I wanted more from that kiss, but he pulled away. "Be ready in five minutes."

I rushed to my room as soon as Nathan left, biting my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling. The anticipation of what could happen next had me blushing. Even if all we did was share the surge of magic created by me and Nathan, that would be enough. It'd felt amazing the first time, but it was overshadowed by the stress of our situation.

This time, though…

There wasn't an impending doom hanging over our heads. The queens had to make that oath – not just any oath. I could feel the magic binding them to their words. We'd be safe for the first time since I'd found out about the supernatural world.

That realization brought tears to my eyes. My guys had done exactly what they'd promised. They'd protected me. They'd given me a safe place where I could learn about who I was. And they were eager to teach me to use my magic.

Now I just needed to clear the air between me and Mir.

Mir, please talk to me, I begged, pulling off my clothes and heading for the closet. I need to know how you're feeling about all this.

Mir slowly crawled out of her space in my mind. I felt guilty for the tentativeness sliding between us.

I'm sorry, Mir .

It's not your fault. I … She hesitated, and I tried to keep all my thoughts silent for her. She snorted. Thanks. Did you notice that their dhampir halves remained in control? I never saw their human half emerge.

I thought about our dinner and the dhampir we talked to. I hadn't noticed at the time, but she was right.

What does that mean? I asked.

I don't know. I'm afraid to ask. She hesitated again. What if … what if Damon gets to know some of the other dhampir and likes them better? Lucifer said the others were creating bonds by swapping blood. They didn't need to be soulmates to connect.

I froze, still in the middle of my closet and wearing only my bra and panties.

I don't think soulmates work that way, I said.

Damon implied he'd be okay with adding another female to the group.

I ran back through our conversations from the last couple days. Yes, Damon had said that if one of us decided to add another partner to the group, we'd talk about it first. I was certain he hadn't meant it the way Mir implied.

He was just trying to reassure me. I found a tank top and a pair of yoga pants and pulled them on. Where is this insecurity coming from? You were the one yelling at me to trust our mates.

What if he replaces me? Mir asked. Her uncertainty was almost painful. I felt special before, like there wasn't anyone else who could experience what we do with our demon. But now…

If she could've waved her hands in the air, I was sure she would have.

Damon would never do that, I said with certainty. I have to believe that our mated bond is way stronger than anything created by the others. Why would fate bring us together if it wasn't? Besides, I can't see any of the other dhampir doing what we're getting ready to do .

I created an image of me and Nathan wrapped up in each other, with the other guys circling us. I tried to imagine the surge of magic I'd felt in the warehouse before the queens arrived. Tingles raced across my skin, giving me goosebumps. My anticipation from earlier returned.

Fine, you're right , Mir grumbled. Just this one time.

I smiled. You're allowed to be insecure. I'm not the only one new to all of this, baby dhampir.

She snorted at me, but I could feel her appreciation.

Let's go have an orgy with the guys, she said, rather than saying thank you.

I laughed and started to argue with her, but I stopped myself. How many people did it take to have an orgy?