11. SIX

SIX

Wren

Ahotblushsettled over my cheeks as cold water pelted us from the shower head above.

Kian’s hand disappeared between my thighs, his fingers trembling as he pushed them through my folds, and his eyes locked with mine. Our magic brushed against each other, tempting and consuming as it skittered around our skin.

“This okay, sweetheart?” His voice shook, shyness mixing with his desire in the bond.

I stepped closer to him until his arousal pressed against my stomach. “You can touch me anytime, Kian. We’re mates.”

“We are, aren’t we?” he muttered, more to himself than me.

I stared into his eyes the best I could since his glasses were covered in water droplets. “My necromancer.”

“You’ve…” He swallowed hard. “Been, um, awfully possessive of your mates lately. Not that it’s a bad thing. I actually quite like it. I’m sure we all do.”

“Instincts, I think. I just love all of you.” My fingers circled his length, and the urgent heat seeped into my palm as I stroked him. “I want my scent all over you.”

A moan spilled from his lips as he caught my wrist and squeezed hard. His magic zapped me.

I jerked back with a soft gasp. “Why did you do that?”

“I’ve told you before. It doesn’t feel right to take pleasure from you when I haven’t given it yet,” he murmured. “Though, I do love the idea of your scent being all over me, your magic is intertwined beautifully with mine.”

“I love that. You can give pleasure to me after I give it to you, though,” I remarked, but he shook his head.

“That’s not how it works. I need you to have the pleasure first for me to get any satisfaction out of it, sweetheart.” He let go of my wrist, and my hand fell to my side.

“Okay,” I murmured. “If that’s how you want to be, then we can get mutual satisfaction.”

His fingers stroked me softly, sending shivers of ecstasy down my spine, spreading me wide as a digit sank into my heat.

“Mmmf!” My arms flew up and wrapped around his neck to keep me steady as his other hand slipped up my side and settled on my breast.

I kissed my way across his chin until he lowered his mouth to mine, taking control of the kiss as his finger slipped in and out.

The spark of what he called sex magic teased the sweet spot inside of me. “Please, Kian,” I murmured against his lips.

Pleasure shot through me as he curled his finger up and moaned aloud with me. I twisted my fists in his hair and pulled him closer, sliding my tongue into his mouth and sweeping it against his.

“Is that good?” He broke the kiss and tilted his head.

“So good, but I need more.”

“I’ll give you more. Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you. More or less. Whatever you want.” He pulled his finger out and gripped my waist, his hands gliding to my butt cheeks before hoisting me up.

“Give me you.” I wound my legs around his waist.

“I’m already yours.” He guided himself into me slowly.

My head fell back as our moans tangled together in the confinements of the shower. Convulsive waves gripped me, ripping through my muscles and robbing me of my senses. “Kian,” I gasped. The orgasm that tore through me from the moment he entered stayed, sizzling through every part of me mercilessly. “I thought you said this only happened when we made love the first time, but it’s happened every time since!”

He cupped the back of my head as he moved, rocking into my body as the cold shower wall hit my back. He slammed the other hand down next to my head to keep us steady. My muscles gripped him tight as he thrust in.

“Sex magic can be used anytime. It won’t be as potent as our first time, but I can still make you feel ecstasy the entire time.” He penetrated deeply, burrowing towards the sweet spot inside before backing out and hitting it again and again.

As I moaned and writhed against him, our bodies shattered and magic burst where we were joined, echoing through every bone, muscle, and tendon as we screamed our release together.

Our magic thrummed in the air with satisfaction as he helped me to my feet, slipping out slowly.

“That was…” He sucked in a sharp breath.

“Incredible,” I finished.

A scarlet blush scattered over his cheeks as he snapped his fingers.

The fluids from between us dissipated, nothing remaining except for the cold water.

“I love how easy you make clean up.”

“Thanks, sweetheart. I just want to make everything in your life easy.” He reached over, turned off the shower, and opened the glass door with goosebumps all over his skin. “After you.”

I stepped out and turned as he stepped out with me. “Sorry. I always forget that you can’t handle the cold like I can.”

“Um, well, you kept me warm in the shower, so…” He grabbed the towel and wrapped it around me.

At the same time, the door of the bathroom opened.

Kian squeaked, losing his footing and catching himself on the wall before hitting the floor. He let out a breath of relief as I grabbed his arm and helped stand back up before looking at the door.

Thorn stepped in with a knowing smirk on his lips. “Having fun, you two?”

“We are, yes.” I smiled as nervousness spiked in Kian’s bond.

“Always fun. Truly the best thing I’ve ever felt in my life. It’s always fun with Wren. Not just that, but, like, everything. She makes everything more fun,” Kian rambled as he shifted from foot to foot.

The air hummed thick with his magic, and Thorn snickered.

“Yes, she does. I have to admit that her new pheromones do make intimacy even better, and I didn’t think that was possible.” Thorn’s gaze shifted to me as his smirk grew.

“Not to mention Kian’s sex magic,” I muttered.

“Yes, I can imagine. I felt your pleasure through our bond, Kit.” Thorn’s eyes flashed with mischievousness. “I hate to interrupt what you have going on here, but I just got back from the Ice Kingdom with some exciting news.” He adjusted the ornament that held his hair up and flashed me a brilliant smile.

“What is it?” I asked as Kian snapped his fingers again, and my hair and body became dry.

“Birch is getting crowned.”

My heart stuttered to a stop as I registered what he’d said. My biggest fear was losing my ice fae to his kingdom. I’d never wanted to hold him back from what he was destined to do, but my heart ached at the thought of what becoming king entailed. To hear that his brother was actually becoming king dropped a bucket of relief on my head.

“What?” I croaked.

“My father has relieved me of the duty to become king,” he clarified, his blue eyes twinkling with something deeper as love and appreciation flooded the bond.

“Thorn… that’s—that’s amazing.” I gasped, the towel dropping as I flung myself at him.

His arms came around my waist and pulled me flat against him. “It is amazing. So amazing, Kit. I don’t have to be apart from you.”

“Oh, Fates, I love you so much. I thought that—that—” I choked up, pulling back and planting my palms against his cheeks before crashing my lips to his.

Thorn’s chuckle vibrated between us as I pulled back. “I love you.”

“This is great news,” Kian said, his dimples showing as he smiled. “We had all been so worried about the outcome.”

“When is he getting crowned?”

“Right now.”

“But… I don’t have anything to wear.” Panic bubbled up inside me at the news of such a big event being held with such short notice.

“I’ve got that covered.” Thorn lifted his hand.

Threads of ice and plant fibers stitched over to drape a stunning gown over my body.

It was similar to the one he’d made before, with a sweetheart neckline and a beautiful icy blue color that glittered when the light hit just right. But it had long sleeves that swirled with designs down the arms.

“Stunning,” Kian murmured in awe.

“You look like a queen,” Thorn said.

“But I won’t become queen,” I quipped, amusement flickering through our bond.

“No, but you are a part of the royal family.” He smirked.

I shook my head, blinking away the tears that formed in my eyes.

The relief from his news was immediate. I had worried constantly about the possibility of losing my mate to the fae realm.

“I just found out too,” he murmured. “I guess my mother had talked to my father about it. I found out when Birch did. They wanted to crown both Birch and Adele together as King and Queen of the Ice and Fire Kingdom.

My pulse spiked at that. There had been so much talk of the war between the Fire Kingdom and the Ice Kingdom. Knowing that the two kingdoms were going to be united by a ruling King and Queen was incredible. Not only was it a blessing for us, but it was a blessing for the fae realm. What better way to destroy the disconnect between kingdoms due to the war than uniting them in a mating?

My feet raised off the ground as Thorn crafted permafrost ice heels like last time. A gasp left my lips as my magic whipped and whirled around the room. It had to be a goofy smile spreading across my face.

Thorn gripped my hand and turned me around to face Kian, who snapped his fingers again. In moments, my hair was in the same updo as Thorn’s with the ornament from their family in my hair.

I glided my hands over it softly. “How did you do that?”

Kian smiled. “I want to be able to help you every way I can, sweetheart. I asked Thorn to teach me how he puts his hair up with the ornament so I could do it for you when you needed it. It might sound silly, but I want to be useful to you in even the simplest acts.”

“You’re more than useful, Kian. I love you.” The heels clicked against the tile as I walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his wet lips. “You should get dressed and dry too.”

A strained chuckle left his throat. “I had forgotten about me.”

“I didn’t.” I dragged my gaze down the length of him as he stood with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“You never do.” His entire body flushed pink.

“We need to get going, Kit. Kian, will you tell the others?”

“Leave it to me. You two enjoy yourselves. Fates knows, we need something to be happy about right now.”

“No kidding,” Thorn muttered.

“Thank you.” I gripped Kian’s hand and pressed another kiss to his lips before turning and walking into Thorn’s open arms.

“Hang tight,” he murmured in my ear before he phased us out of the room, the wind carrying us to the fae portal.

Westeppedintothe ice palace, and a gasp rattled out of me.

“Since Birch is going to be the king, we decided to hold the ceremony here. With Adele being the Fire Kingdom’s Queen and announcing their betrothal as a union of the two kingdoms, we had to showcase fire fae magic here too,” Thorn murmured, his warm breath tickling my ear.

My eyes widened as I took in the ballroom. It was still made of ice, but flames licked up the walls in a beautiful rhythm. Fire fae wore a vibrant red, while the ice fae wore royal blue—each fae representing their kingdoms and weaving together beautifully as they mingled.

The atmosphere was both tense and comforting. It was as if the fae didn’t know how to act but were at peace with the war being over.

“It’ll take a while for our people to acclimate to the joining of our kingdoms, but they’re prepared to make that happen,” he told me, and I realized he’d been reading my mind.

Silly, invasive fae.

“You like it when I’m invasive, though, don’t you, Kit?” His lips spread into a suggestive smirk, and my face heated as my thoughts correlated with what he’d said. “Thought so.”

I couldn’t help but think of Thorn inside of me when he used that terminology, and there was no part of me that didn’t want him inside of me at this very second.

“Wren! You’re here!” Frayla bounced toward us through the crowd. “Thorn said he was going to get you after the announcement but took forever,” she whined, looping her arm through mine and tugging me away.

I glanced back at Thorn, who chuckled as longing shot down the bond. “Take care of my mate and bring her back after your girl time.”

She rolled her eyes. “I only need her for like twenty minutes, then I’ll bring your precious mate back to you. But you need to learn to share! She’s my cousin now too.”

“I do enough of that as it is.” He huffed with a playful grin. “I’ll see if Birch needs anything in the meantime, but, Frayla… If one hair on her head is harmed—”

“That won’t happen.” Frayla snapped, narrowing her gaze.

I hadn’t spent enough time in the Ice Kingdom. I wanted to get to know Thorn’s family and people better, and now was the time to do it. Frayla had been so welcoming, and she made me feel safe—my instincts regarded her as family just as they did Trixie.

“Enjoy, then.” He flashed a teasing smile to me and lifted a finger.

A blast of ice magic rolled over my skin, cooling me down and settling my nerves.

“Girl time?” I quirked a brow, turning to the eccentric ice fae.

She giggled, pulling me toward a table with some refreshments. “Yes, well. Thorn is Birch’s brother, so he has a duty to be part of the ceremony. I insisted that I wanted to spend some time with you as he prepared with him. After all, we are family now, and you and I never get a chance to chat.”

I smiled as warmth flooded down Thorn’s bond. Glancing back, I noticed him disappear through the large doors that we had entered through during the Winter Festival. “Thank you. I look forward to getting to know you as well.”

“I’ve heard about you for years so I feel like I already know you. Now, stop being formal with me. Thorn used to tell me how badly that bothered him. Always kept your guard up around him since he was a fae and all that. Every time you’d let your walls down, he’d come back ecstatic, only to be depressed the next day when they were back up.” She handed me a glass of what looked to be shredded blue ice with a straw.

“I didn’t mean to. I actually formed a lot of feelings for him when I was a teenager, but I was just scared. I shouldn’t have been, though. I mean, he’s my mate.” I grabbed the glass, and my fingers tingled from the cold as I brought the straw to my lips and sipped it. “Mmm, blueberries.”

It tasted like Thorn, and I loved it.

A giggle spilled from Frayla. “Liking that a little too much?”

I nodded, sipping away. “It tastes delicious. I wonder why Thorn has never given me any of this before?”

“Probably because it’s blueberry juice with fae rum,” she mused, sipping on her own cup.

“Fae rum?” I tilted my head as I sipped. I had never had alcohol. Alice had forbidden it. She was afraid I’d get attacked or something if I was impaired in the village, and I never questioned it. Besides, she drank rum like water, and the stench had always made my stomach curl. But I couldn’t scent an ounce of the rum in this drink.

“Fae rum is different than the rum in Kalista. It’s a lot more potent than any other supernatural alcohols, actually.” Her lips quirked up as she drank, but her gaze didn’t leave mine.

The straw made a suction noise as I sucked it, and my mouth fell open as the sweet flavor lingered on my tongue. “Frayla, it’s potent?” I hissed. “I’ve never had alcohol before. Tell me this isn’t going to mess with me too much.”

She belted out a belly laugh, placing her hands on her stomach. “Oh, Fates! The fae rum is drowning in fast-acting magic, Wren. Thorn should’ve said something! I didn’t know, and he knows I’m a drinker.”

Lightness flitted over my head, and my body flickered from corporeal to incorporeal. The glass in my hands flickered with me before I handed it back to her. It took a few attempts because every time she went to grab it, the glass went incorporeal along with me.

“That is such a cool power,” she said as she snatched the glass at just the right moment. “Thorn mentioned it, and I’ve been wanting to see it.”

Thorn. My ice fae…

My pheromones trickled out of me. “Oh.” I pressed a hand to my chest, willing them back into my body, but the stubborn pheromones wouldn’t cooperate. My ears and tail sprouted, and I slammed my eyes shut as I tried to gather my bearings.

“Oh tulips, Wren. If I knew you couldn’t handle your alcohol, I would have never given it to you.”

I giggled, waving my hand back and forth. “I’m handling it just fine. Hey, where did you say Thorn went?”

“He’s just back there with Birch.” She pointed to the large doors behind us. “Actually, there he is.”

Thorn stepped out, and his gaze locked on mine as our bond tugged, but a woman stepped into his path. A woman that I remembered as Madison. A woman that Thorn had been intimate with before me.

Anger crawled over my skin.

Frayla let out a low whistle. “Roses, Wren, I’m sure—”

A low warning growl rumbled out of my chest before my powers flickered again, and I stomped toward them.

How dare she approach my mate? I’d tolerated so much disrespect in my life, but I wouldn’t do it anymore.

Frayla wandered behind me, but I wasn’t focused on her. I focused on the woman trying to speak to my mate without me, again. Thorn had told me she approached him when he visited after the festival, and it was clear to me that the woman didn’t know how to leave well enough alone—whether she was someone with bad intentions or not. She did not need to be talking to him. I didn’t care how pretty her hair looked or how silky her red dress was.

I stopped next to Thorn and crossed my arms as clarity flooded back to me.

“I just thought that you would be my mate, Thorn… I never thought that you would take another mate. I thought it would be me.” Tears filled Madison’s eyes as she stared up at my mate.

Thorn gritted his teeth as he looked down at her. “I’m not your mate. My mate is Wren, and you are not only disrespecting her, but you are disrespecting me and our bond by continuously coming up and trying to talk to me, Madison.”

“I’m just trying to get closure. I mean, you took my virginity, and then you just stopped talking to me altogether.”

“I did not just stop talking to you,” he gritted out.

I went to grab his shoulder, but I passed through him. Ah, that was why they hadn’t acknowledged me. I had stayed incorporeal.

“I told you that it was a mistake, and that I loved someone else.”

“You told me that you loved someone in a different world. I thought that you were lying just to get rid of me. Or maybe it was an excuse because we were young and you didn’t want to settle down.”

“I didn’t lie, and I don’t lie. I was in love with Wren, I’m in love with her now, and she became my mate. Take your closure from that, and stop disrespecting my bond with my mate.”

“I’m not trying to disrespect you or your mate or your bond,” she backtracked, her lip wobbling. “I just don’t understand why you don’t realize that your actions hurt me.”

“I take accountability for hurting you.” The muscle in his jaw tensed. “But you need to take accountability for continuing to pursue me when I made it clear I am uninterested in you or any woman that is not my mate.”

Frayla stumbled in between them with panicked eyes. “Wren’s incorporeal, and I gave her fae rum, and she’s missing!”

“What?” Thorn snapped, ice forming a thick coat over his hands that balled at his sides.

Hatred burned in Madison’s gaze before it widened and shock took over, and her gaze slid to me.

An icy arm came around me and yanked me into Thorn’s side. “Were you there the whole time, Kit?” His voice was soft, the anger from a moment ago nowhere in his tone.

“Half the time,” I slurred, my eyes fluttering shut as I leaned against him. “Didn’t mean to. My powers aren’t listening.”

“I can feel that,” he rasped, my pheromones slipping over him.

Madison’s expression turned accusatory. “It seems like your mate can’t even trust you.”

I fought the haze over my brain and snapped my eyes open before narrowing them at her. “I trust Thorn. I don’t trust you, and to be completely honest, your disrespect pisses me off.”

Her hand flew to her chest as she gasped. “You may have grown up in another world as a nobody, but you’re a royal now. Royals don’t speak like that.”

“And you’re disrespecting your prince.” I snarled, my tail flicking behind me. Anger spiraled from the pit of my stomach the longer I stared her.

It took everything in me not to let my shadow loose on her, and I blamed Damien for that urge. But the one urge I couldn’t tamp down had me flying forward before I could think. A crack encroached the air as my hand connected with her cheek, and my palm stung from the force of the strike.

She stumbled back just as I did, and her fingers cupped her reddened skin as tears gathered in her eyes.

Thorn sucked in a sharp gasp as Frayla snickered, and I shook out my throbbing palm.

“And you’re not a royal,” Thorn snapped at her after recomposing himself, pulling me back against his chest and kissing my head. “You have no real need to be at the coronation. Now leave, before I have you escorted out of my castle.”

Madison shook her head disbelievingly, her tears spilling down her cheeks, before pivoting on her heel and stomping away.

“Great job, Thorn,” Frayla praised. “And Wren, that was so awesome. I’ve wanted to slap that daffodil my whole life.”

“Fates, I love you so much,” I mumbled.

“Is your hand okay, Kit?” Thorn’s concern for my well being settled something inside of me as he shot a blast of ice over my skin, chilling the throb to a dull ache.

“I’m fine now that she’s gone.” A growl rumbled from my chest.

“I apologize for giving her fae rum.” Frayla let out a forced chuckle. “I had no idea your mate never had any alcohol.”

“Of course she hasn’t. Are you telling me she drank a whole cup or just a few sips?”

“The whole cup!” I nuzzled my face into his neck as I draped myself over him.

“So this is going to get worse,” he clarified, his grip on my waist painfully tight.

“Yep,” she answered with a giggle of her own.

“Thanks for standing up to Madison,” I mumbled.

“Kit, you’re the only woman for me, and you put her in her place yourself.”

“Are you ready for the coronation?” Frayla asked.

Thorn sucked in a sharp breath as my hand traveled down in his stomach, and he caught my hand right at his waistband, his grip tightening. “Yes,” he rasped. “Can Wren sit with you?”

“I’ll be up there too, and she has to be up next to you as your mate.”

“We can sneak away for a minute,” I suggested, trying to move my hand from his grasp, but his hold was tight. I huffed and moved my other hand toward the very obvious bulge in his pants, but his other hand caught it.

“Suck in your pheromones, Kit,” he growled.

“But why?” I pouted my lips.

It had been so long since I’ve been intimate with Thorn.

“No. It hasn’t. We were intimate a couple of nights ago.”

“Did I say that out loud? Oh, wait. Mind reader, that’s right.”

“Actually, you did say that one out loud.” He pushed his ice magic at me, and my body relaxed as the cool seeped into my bones. “Your face is absolutely flushed. Can you behave for me?”

“For how long?” My voice came out whiny.

“Just until after he’s crowned.”

“Fine,” I grumbled, trying to suck my pheromones in the best I could, but like Rhett had explained to me, they really were like leaky taps. I couldn’t control it completely, especially right now.

“Just for an hour,” he promised.

“You know the effects of a fae rum last at least twelve hours, right?” Frayla snickered.

I whipped my head toward her. “When I was incorporeal, it seemed like my head wasn’t this fuzzy. But when I’m corporal—like right now, I just want to sleep with Thorn because he can make me feel cold from the inside.”

Frayla burst out laughing, tears streaking down her cheeks. “Does she not realize she’s talking out loud?”

“No, Frayla. She doesn’t. Because you gave her fae rum.” Thorn frowned, still holding onto my hands.

I took the opportunity to jerk my hand free and pointed a finger at Frayla. “Fae rum! It was delicious. Can I have more?”

“Roses. No, Kit. You may not have more.”

“Make a contract with me then.” I turned and clutched his cape with my free hand.

“What terms?” His gaze flicked to my lips before tearing away from me and focusing on Frayla.

“I’ll behave and be a good fox if you fuck me after the coronation,” I purred, and he choked, letting go of my hands and stumbling back a bit.

Frayla lifted her hands in defeat. “I didn’t know she’d be like this when drunk! I didn’t even mean to get her drunk!”

I threw myself forward and back into his hold as I brought my lips to his for a moment and pulled back. “Please?”

“If you can behave, I’ll make a contract with you after.”

Scowling, I nodded.

Sure, this was an important, history-making event. But I couldn’t focus on anything except the need for my ice fae.

Themuttersofice and fire fae blended together as I leaned against Thorn.

In all honesty, the coronation was a blur. I remembered Thorn’s hands on my waist, practically holding me upright during the ceremony, and I remember Thorn’s father crowning Birch. Adele’s father crowned Adele, and they stood together as the new king and queen of the Ice and Fire Kingdom. There were tears, and I know Forrest snuggled in my arms as Thorn and I took care of him while they were getting crowned.

Birch walked up to us as Forrest reached his little arms out towards his father, and he took him from my arms.

I was glad the toddler clung like a spider monkey because I wasn’t confident in my ability to hold him. Forrest yawned and leaned against his father’s shoulder.

I smiled what must have been a lopsided smile at them as Adele sauntered up.

“Are you sure you two can’t stay any longer?” she asked.

I pouted my lips out as Thorn shook his head. “Unfortunately, my mate got acquainted with fae rum without ever consuming alcohol before, so we need to get back home.”

They both chuckled and turned their gazes to me.

“The fact that you’re still standing is impressive.” Adele giggled, and Birch nodded.

“Have a good night. Though, I’m sure you will.” Birch smirked.

“You too,” I murmured as Thorn scooped me up in his arms, and my eyelids fluttered shut.

“I’m proud to be your brother, Birch. You and Adele will make waves with our kingdoms, and I can’t wait to see what you do.”

“Thank you, big brother,” Birch said in a soft voice as Adele said her thanks, and my stomach flipped as Thorn phased us to the fae portal in the forest.

He sat me down on the ground, and I gripped his shoulder. “Wait.”

“I know, Kit. No more phasing. I felt your nausea when I did it.”

“You said you’d make a contract with me.” My eyelids were heavy as my pheromones exploded around us, and I made no move to suck them back in.

His gaze dropped to my lips before he ripped them away again. “Wren,” he warned. “You’re drunk. I’m your mate. I’m never going to take advantage of you.”

“Even if I beg you to?” I arched an eyebrow and attempted to step myself out of the gown but frowned as I realized it had no zipper or any way to get out of it.

“Sorry. I can take it off of you once we get home.”

I huffed and stomped my foot like a toddler. “But Thorn, I just want you. It’s been too long.”

“And I told you, it’s only been a couple of days. Plus, you and Kian just made love before we came.”

“But I need you right now.” I threw myself at him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and dragging my lips to his, brushing them softly. “Seeing you stand up for our bond with that woman just makes me want to be with you fully again.”

“Wren.”His voice was strained as he shook his head. “I can’t. Not when you’re like this. Do you even remember the coronation?” He pulled me closer and rested my head on his chest.

“Not particularly.” My cheeks burned in shame.

“That’s my exact reasoning.”

“Okay, fine. I get that.”

He scooped me back up in his arms with a relieved sigh.

“But will you fuck me tomorrow?”

He sputtered, choking on his own spit, snapping his head down at me incredulously. “What did you just ask me to do?”

“Fuck me tomorrow.” I blinked up at him. “Damien said he liked it when I said those kinds of words. Do you?”

He swallowed hard and glanced back at the portal. “I like whatever you say.”

“The desire pulsing through our bond tells me that you do like it.” I tossed my head back with a giggle as he shot ice into the fae portal and stepped through it.

I barely remembered the walk from the fae portal to Rowan’s office, but when the door shut behind us and the scents of my mates filled my nose, I lifted my head back up, and Thorn sat me down on the floor.

Damien’s fists tore through the wall next to Rowan’s bedroom door. “I’m going to fucking squeeze the goo out of the fucker.”

“I love it when you talk like that,” I purred, stumbling forward as my mate’s gazes swung toward us.

Damien tore his hand out of the wall as the magic in the building fixed the hole immediately. “Little bird?” he rasped.

I rushed at him with little warning and threw myself at him. “Will you fuck me?”

My pheromones seeped into the room and thickened the air as all of them either gave a sharp gasp or growled.

“Wow.” Kian choked on a breath.

“Of course I’ll fuck you. You want it now?” Damien’s tongue glided over his lips as his hands planted on my hips and pulled me closer.

“Yes, please.”

Feeling him inside of me was the only thing on my mind. I loved the way his piercing hit my sweet spot with little effort. The thought of it made my knees weak. I just needed help getting out of the dress.

“Not happening, Kit.” Thorn grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from Damien, who snarled at him with his tail swishing around him.

It was then that I realized all of the guys were struggling with their magic.

“What happened?” I asked, blinking a few times.

Rowan cleared his throat as anger and rage battled desire through the bond in all of them. “We found this.” He pointed down to the threshold of the door that led into his room, and there was a puddle of black goo that rippled once before it seeped downward and dissipated as I spotted it.

“Fuck.” Alister’s fangs cut open his bottom lip before healing.

A long sigh escaped me, and my body went numb. “Who cares at this point? Grayson is Grayson. He’s been all bark and no bite. Just like he was when he was just a wolf.” My pheromones sucked back in as I pulled away from Thorn and entered the bedroom to throw myself on the bed.

“What the hell did you do to her?” Damien growled.

“I did nothing,” Thorn hissed, shooting an ice spike at him.

Damien constructed a shadow shield, and the ice bounced off of it before shattering. “Then who the fuck did something?”

“My cousin gave her some fae rum. There’s really nothing much I can do.”

“You mean she’s drunk?” Lachlan clarified.

“Has she ever drank before?” Rhett asked.

“Never,” Thorn said.

“Well, that explains the warm welcome.” Damien forced a dark chuckle as he sat on the bed next to me.

Exhaustion flooded my limbs as I reached out and pulled him onto the bed next to me. I curled next to him and inhaled his scent. “Can’t we deal with this tomorrow?”

“What the daisies?” Thorn muttered, and I cracked my eyes open to see him pick up something off the floor and hand it to Rowan.

A letter where the goo was.

Rowan let out a terrifying roar that rattled the room, and I groaned as I grabbed Damien’s arm and moved it over my eyes.

“It’s from the dragons,” he bit out. “It says the humans are in possession of the relic. I’ll contact the council and see if this is true or not.”

“No matter what happens, it’ll all be okay,” I told them in a murmur that slurred. “Everything’s going to be okay because we have each other.”

I couldn’t keep myself awake long enough to hear their responses, but I knew that I was right.