25. Twenty-Five

Twenty-Five

Willow

I love the tranquil feeling that brewing something brings.

It allows my mind to be silent and focus solely on the task in front of me, and in this case, Dec. I’m able to put him at the forefront of my thoughts and really push the best intentions out possible to finding him.

Despite knowing his hatred for me, I know it’s misguided and hopefully soon enough, it’ll be nonexistent.

Unlike anything else I’ve ever brewed, the Dream tonic doesn’t require any fermenting. All it takes is a few minutes of seeping and stirring, and it’ll be ready to go. It also doesn’t resemble anything I’m familiar with either.

It’s brewed directly into our intended tea, which Gaster suggested chamomile, so that’s what we went with. Two ingredients are liquids that just blend right on in, and the third is a flower called the Nightbloom that is supposed to soak, then we eat it before drinking our tea. One liquid is called moon water—which is actually rain collected at night. The other is nectar extracted from lavender.

It honestly smells sweet and delicious. If I didn’t know what it was, I’d drink it down no questions asked just from its aroma.

At the sound of someone’s timekeeper, I’m pulled from my concentration and pour my little concoction in the mug Gaster placed in front of me as Codi and Trex do the same.

I’m absolutely tickled with Gaster because he went all out for this like it’s a party. In minutes after we decided we were doing this, he basically crafted an entire kitchen outside for us to make our drinks individually, while also setting up a comfy pallet out in the lawn for us to lie on.

The guys were furious about that and wanted to destroy it, but Gaster put his foot down, explaining we have no clue how long I’ll be asleep for, and he refuses to allow me to just lie on the ground for hours. The guys still weren’t convinced, so he suggested we all go lie in my bed.

That swiftly changed their minds.

“Ready?” Trex asks me as we walk through the grass.

“I think so. You?”

He blows out a shaky breath before smiling tightly. “Ready, yes, but trying not to get my hopes up.”

“I understand, but this is going to work. We just have to believe that,” I tell him as we make it to where the guys are waiting in front of my spot.

Each of them is on edge at this point and I smile at them, hoping to alleviate some of their possessive-ass issues right now. If they want to frown at someone, it should be Caspian. It was his idea.

I can’t talk. I’d flip the fuck out.

Let me just stir the pot before I take my nap.

Then when I wake up, they’ll be all kinds of obsessed with me.

“Well, do I get a kiss before I take a nap with two other men or what?”

Although they move as one to surround me, Draken breaks first.

Growling, he crowds me into Caspian. Corentin, my gentleman, takes the mug from my hand right as Draken attacks. His lips crash into mine, and he holds me possessively by the back of my neck as he devours every inch of my mouth. Letting everyone who can see know exactly who I belong to.

When he tears his mouth from mine, I know my eyes dilate at the beast lurking below his cobalt blues .

I’m spun to the side faster than I can pounce on my dragon man, and my gentle giant lifts me off my feet, laying his forehead to mine.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, little warrior.”

“Do you think I’ll win?”

He snorts, laying soft kisses on my already swollen lips. “I know you will.”

Setting me back on my feet, I don’t even have time to catch my balance before shadows are tugging me to their master.

“You know better than to taunt a monster.”

“Not when that monster is mine.”

The hum in his throat is the only warning I receive before he bites my lip, then slips his tongue in my mouth when I gasp. Every stroke is dark, demanding, and all for me. He consumes me so completely, I forget there’re people around.

The promising darkness in his eyes when he pulls back from me makes my breath hitch and the devilish smirk on his face tells me I’m in for it when I wake up.

Turning to the last of my men, his stern mask is what I expected to see, but the soft features that greet me give me butterflies.

One-handed as he’s still holding my mug in his other, he presses his index finger below my chin and tilts it up until my eyes are locked onto his. The burning amber in the middle of them heats my belly like a straight shot of whiskey.

“Princess.”

“Your highness.”

“Be good. No trouble in dreamland.”

“No promises.”

His knowing smile is contagious, and when he slowly leans in, my eyes automatically close.

“You’re going to wear my handprint on your ass for a weak for that little comment, baby, ” he whispers against my lips after giving me one of the softest kisses I’ve ever received.

I blink through the whiplash, while he practically preens at the red shade my face is surely turning .

Clearing my throat, I gather myself back together after my teasing backfired tremendously. Despite obviously knowing it’s four against one, I still tend to get a little big for my breeches.

Corentin offers me his arm, leading me the few feet to my spot, and helps me sit before passing me my mug. Fuck, how that man can be so damn dominant, then do the sweetest things like this is mindboggling.

“Okay, so one more time. We’re going to drink, eat the flower, give it five minutes. Willow, you wrap around our minds, then, Codi, you put us to sleep,” Trex says, going over the plan for the umpteenth time.

“Right. The reality we’re weaving is this back lawn. We’re all familiar with this,” I add and they both grunt in agreement. “Then cheers, boys,” I say, tapping my mug to theirs.

It’s cooled down enough now that I chug it back easily, and it, in fact, does taste as sweet as it smells. I’m a little weirded out about just eating a flower, but I push it out of my mind and pop the little blue petals into my mouth.

The guys all stare at me like they’re waiting for something drastic to happen, but after a minute, they relax their shoulders.

Until the three of us lie down.

“Nope, don’t fucking like this one bit,” Draken growls.

“I agree. Get up, Primary. I’ve changed my mind.”

“Cas, this was your idea. A great one at that. Their heads are touching my head. It’ll all be fine.”

“Exactly, this is your fucking fault,” Draken says, turning his menacing stare to Caspian.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t originally think they’d be lying in a fucking makeshift bed together.”

Sighing, I close my eyes and tune them out while they bicker back and forth. It’s Draken’s dragon that’s pushing him like this, and Caspian’s feeding off the madness. Not that Tillman or Corentin are doing any better, but they’re not outwardly going to argue or attempt to stop me at this point.

When things that resemble the northern lights start flashing in my mind and my body begins to tingle, I mumble quietly, “Ready? ”

“Ready,” Trex and Codi answer just as softly.

Sending my magic out, I lace it through their minds and magic, making sure they’re tethered to me.

“Do you want a countdown?” Codi asks.

“Yes, please.”

“Five…four…”

“Sleep tight, little warrior.”

“Three…two…”

“We love you, princess.”

“One.”

The sensation of my entire body growing heavy to the point I couldn’t lift my limbs if I wanted to washes through me and the surrounding sounds become distant white noise. Like a dimmer on a light switch, my awareness begins to fade and quicker than I can count backward, I enter darkness.

Blinking my eyes open slowly, the most beautiful lilac sun shines above me and I stretch my arms out above my head, pulling my cover with me so I can hide my face. I nestle down deeper into my pillow, chasing my precious sleep again when a yawn escapes me. My body hums happily when I decide that’s exactly what I’m going to do, but my mind won’t allow it.

But I’m so comfortable…

Gasping, I sit straight up.

Panic surges through me as my mind catches up and clarity returns to me and for a long moment, I breathe through confusion and astonishment. I frantically glance around at the reality my mind’s created, and the tension in my chest settles when I see the familiar space.

My fingers tangle in the blanket on top of me and I stare down at it as I try to slow the racing beat of my heart. The fabric feels so real, exactly as it did in my consciousness, and when I bring it to my nose, I startle as the smell engulfs my senses.

Shit, this is so real.

Turning in my spot, the entire pallet that was made for us is laid out around me. Even the mugs are sitting beside where our forms were lying. The only thing missing is the two men who were lying on those pillows.

The whole back lawn and tree line look just as they do in my normal reality, except here, the colors are so different.

Everything is a shade of purple.

That checks out.

“Trex…Codi…” I shout as I push myself to my feet.

No reply comes from either of them, not that I thought it would be that simple to pull them with me, but it was wishful thinking.

Taking my first step, I nearly fall to my knees because of how unnatural it feels to be up moving around. It’s as though I’m walking along the springiest trampoline, and I have to plant my feet firmly to hold myself steady. It’s an out-of-body experience and I shake my arms out until the motion feels more normal.

Okay, let’s try it with no dream shoes.

As soon as I bend down to unstrap the sandals I’m wearing, they disappear into thin air, leaving me standing barefoot in the grass.

Well, fuck, okay then. Be careful what I think up in dreamworld.

Oh, Elementra, this isn’t the time for any intrusive or impulsive thoughts if things happen the moment I think it.

Slamming my eyes shut, I dig my toes into the earth and take a deep breath as the sensation of the cold dirt feels so familiar, normal. Nowhere in the instructions did it make it seem like we weren’t going to be able to walk and whatnot like we usually could.

Granted, I have had some weird dreams before where my body was in slow motion and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t force myself to punch Donald faster. This is just like that.

All right, feet, get moving. We’ve got shit to do.

Nodding to myself, with more caution than a second ago, I take a small step.

Then another. And another.

I walk a couple feet here and there until I’m practically pacing, but that’s how much effort it takes to make my body cooperate .

“Trex…Codi…” I call out again as I slowly start walking toward the tree line.

Their magical signatures and mental awareness are in my mind, but no one is here. Just me and my echoing voice.

Shivering, my hands instinctively rub up and down my arms, chasing away the goose bumps, and the little raised clusters take me by surprise. My fingers follow the path of my standing hair follicles until I reach the inside of my bicep, and I pinch.

“Shit,” I shriek, desperately trying to rub away the pain.

Unlike my own dream walking, I’m neither incorporeal nor protected from not feeling things. So that one hundred percent hurt.

Great. I can barely force my legs to work properly and now I’ll feel it if I face-plant.

Glancing back in front of me, I find the reason for my shivering standing feet in front of me and I hold in my startled flinch. The anger radiating off him is so strong, it’s causing my lush purple forest to darken. Every slow step he takes colors the foliage beneath his shoes black.

“It worked,” I breathe.

“What have you done?”

“Dec, listen to me—”

“Where. Is. He?” he shouts, punctuating each pissed off word.

“I can explain everything, just listen.”

He doesn’t listen.

In fact, he bellows out, and I stumble back a couple steps from the devastation mixed in with his rage. I don’t know if it’s because he senses but doesn’t see Trex or what, but he just snapped.

“Trex!” I shout and his name leaving my lips has Dec’s eyes whipping to mine.

Shit.

When he starts charging toward me, I turn on my heels and run back toward the pallet. The last thing I want to do is hurt him or use any of my magic on him. Then he’ll never trust me.

Like a baby fawn who hasn’t the first fucking clue how to run, I barely make it halfway there before the weight of a freight train crashes into the back of me and the wind gets knocked out of my lungs as we crash into the ground.

Instinctively, I try to shove him with my air and wrap him in vines, but no element responds to me.

Fuck, looks like it’s good old-fashion hand-to-hand.

Tillman’s training instantly floods my mind as the weight of Dec against my back is crushing and his arm digs into my stomach, making it a struggle to draw in any air.

I widen my legs and plant my toes firmly into the ground so I can lift my hips, and he presses his chest into me harder to stop my wiggling. I make enough room underneath me to slip my hands free from where they’re pinned between my body and the ground, then rapidly throw my elbow into his ribs twice. The second I feel his hold let up, I wrap my hand around his wrist, and plant my feet more firmly.

With more power than I’m sure he was expecting, I buck my hips up and turn my body sharply, rolling him off me.

His back slams to the ground and a huff of air gets forced out of his lungs, but I don’t waste any time as I push up off the ground and run once again.

Mentally, I command my legs to fucking work, while simultaneously trying my hardest to tug Trex and Codi to me from wherever in this dreamscape they’re at.

I sense him coming up behind me once again, but this time I’m ready. As his pounding feet give me an idea of how close he is, I spin on my heel to face him.

“Stop and listen to me before you get hurt,” I command forcefully, but with no magic or power behind it, it’s just a pleading shout.

His eyes narrow on me even more, and I soften mine, even raise my hands in no offense to show him I’m not a threat, but that seems to only piss him off more.

The air around us grows so thick, it’s almost impossible to draw in any. The misguided hatred rolling off him makes it toxic .

His limbs tremble with either his fury or adrenaline. Which, I’m not sure, but regardless, they’re both only going to lead to one thing. I open my mouth to try to explain again, but in the blink of an eye, he attacks.

He lunges forward with his fists flying at me like he has all intentions of breaking bones and drawing blood.

With a swift sidestep and a raise of my hand, I deflect the first punch just enough to send it past my ear. “Dec, stop, I’m not going to fight you. I’m here to help.”

My words are met with a snarl before he fucking unleashes an onslaught of attacks—each filled with more desperation than the last. Every punch I dodge or deflect riles him up even more and they come quicker, sharper, harder. I can’t even attempt to say anything else because I’m too focused on not getting my face bashed in.

The precise maneuvers—the obvious training he’s been receiving—soon give way to much more vicious attacks and techniques, and when he reaches out to grab a handful of my hair, I jump back.

“Fucking listen to me! Trex is safe and we’re looking for you.” I pant out, but my words go ignored. He’s lost to his fury.

My hands, elbows, thighs take a beating from hell as I continue to block him, and my lungs beg me to take a deeper breath. Every fucking move takes every drop of my concentration in this Elementra-forsaken dream world. I have to focus on every move he makes, while simultaneously commanding my body to work like it’s supposed to, follow the muscle memorized training.

Growing tired and impatient, I miscalculate his next strike and the graze of a knuckle across my cheek and the immediate pain that registers through my face color my vision red.

Gripping his wrist on the next swing, I pivot my body into his and flip his ass on his back, then pounce.

My knee presses into his chest, bearing down on the edge of his throat, and I have half a mind to beat the fuck out of him for all that, but Trex’s and Codi’s awareness skitters across my brain, keeping me pissed but less murderous .

His fists connect with my ribs and I grab his wrists, slamming them down above his head, putting all my body weight into it.

“If you don’t fucking listen to me, I’m going to knock your teeth down your throat,” I growl.

“I don’t want to hear shit you have to say. Because of you, my brother’s going to be dead soon.”

“Your brothers, plural, asshole, are fine. Safe, protected, and looking for you. I’m starting to wonder why, though. Hotheaded shithead. Who attacks without listening to what someone has to say?” I grit out angrily, slamming his arms down again as he tries to wiggle free.

“You’re a liar,” he sneers, narrowing his eyes at me.

I’m the liar? Are you freaking serious?

Just as I go to talk shit back, an inkling scurries across my mind, and my fingers flinch around his arms.

Holy shit.

“No, Dec, you’re the liar. You’ve been lying for fourteen years about not eating Trex’s blackened berry pie on his birthday,” I say softly.

The slightest bit of shock crosses his features, but before he responds, I’m being lifted off his chest.

“Willow,” Codi and Trex say together.

Trex places me on my feet and passes me to Codi, who protectively pushes me behind him. If my men could see this, they’d be proud, but I just snort because where the fuck were they the last however long.

Peeking around Codi, I watch Dec scramble to his feet. His gaze bounces between Trex, Codi, and me in disbelief. I’m sure the defensive stances in front of me are throwing him all the way off since I’m such an evil person who’s trying to get his brother killed.

“Dec,” Trex says slowly, holding his hands up in front of him.

“This…this isn’t real.”

“Technically, no, it’s a dream, but it’s as real as we’ve got right now.”

A cool drip slides down my cheek, and I know good and fucking well I’m not crying right now, so I lift my fingers to wipe it away. When I see dark purple smeared across my hand, I mutter out a slew of curses, knowing it’s actually blood. I felt it earlier when I was leaning over Dec, but I thought it was sweat.

Guess I can do everything in this dream, except use my elements, magic, or make my legs work right.

My foul mouth draws everyone’s attention to me, and I raise my bloody middle finger to Dec as Codi steps closer to me.

“Well, shit. It doesn’t matter now that we’ve found him. He’s dead. We’re all dead,” he says frantically, turning to look at Trex, who also curses and bows his head.

“Why are you with her? How are you here?” Dec asks Trex, stunned.

Without answering, Trex pulls him into a hug, and I swear right before my eyes, the hate-filled gaze he’s held this whole time bleeds out of him. He sags in his brother’s arms, wrapping his own around him for stability.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Dec. I don’t even know what you believe, but when Willow told me you hated her from your first dream together, I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s a little obvious now. And you’re wrong,” Trex says gently as he pulls them apart and grips his shoulders.

He doesn’t give his brother a moment to say anything else before the word vomit of everything that’s happened since my kidnapping falls out. He doesn’t miss a beat, laying everything he can talk about out on the table for his brother to know and understand. I don’t show it outwardly, but I’m a little satisfied when Dec sends me a guilty look.

It’s short-lived, though, when his gaze turns to wonder at the mention of Codi.

“I’ve dreamed about you,” Dec says.

“I’ve heard,” Codi says, nodding awkwardly.

Dec doesn’t take any offense to the obvious nervousness lingering around Codi, and I assume since we’re in a dream not reality, the bond for them won’t snap in place. It doesn’t stop Dec from pulling him into a hug that shocks Codi, and I stumble back a few steps to give them some space.

They eventually break apart with one of those manly hug pats guys do, then Dec turns to me. “I didn’t know,” he whispers .

“Yeah, I know. But honestly, you would’ve thought being kept hostage by that psychopath would’ve made you think twice before believing anything he’s told you about me,” I say softly.

“It should’ve, but with the story he told about you destroying the compound, killing Max, and taking Trex, it was very believable. He told us that he was going to melt his brain if you didn’t return him, and that only you would be to blame.”

“Well, firstly, I didn’t kill Max, my father-in-law did, but the other stuff is all true, except it being my fault. He did try to melt his brain, and it was stopped,” I say firmly. “Is that why you came into my dream, or did he make you?”

“He—” Dec grunts, gripping his head, and I close my eyes in frustration.

Even in their sleep, they get no peace or reprieve from him.

“Are you and Xander still being kept together?” I ask, changing the subject of the Summum-Master.

“Yeah, we’re together.”

“Where are you guys? We’re coming for you. You tell us, and as soon as we wake from this, we’ll come,” Trex says, his words colored in determination.

Dec shakes his head sadly, clenching his fists to his sides. “I can’t say. Whatever rift you all have caused in the realm has made him paranoid. He tugs on my rune daily. X as well.”

“We’ve taken down several structures by this point. Took back the Terravile pack, broke Keeper, the vampire, out of the forest, killed some of his top Masters, and the latest ordeal, we captured, then my Nexus member killed the scientist, Darstein,” I say factually.

“You what?” he asks lowly as though he doesn’t believe it.

“Now we’re—”

“Wait a second,” I say, cutting Trex off. “We can’t tell him what we’re doing. What if he tells the Summum-Master or someone gets it out of his head?”

Trex looks heartbroken at the prospect of me accusing his brother of being loyal to the Summum-Master, but that’s not what I’m implying. He doesn’t have much of a choice in his loyalty or have any control over who has access to his mind at any time. We’ve been planning for way too long to lose the ability to track down my blood right here a week from it.

“I know I’ve made a really piss-poor first impression, and I’m deeply sorry for that. I have every intention of making that up to you now, as well as informing Xander of everything as well. The next time you see me, meet him, I swear to you, it won’t be like this. Ever again. The truth came from my brother’s mouth, and I have complete faith in him. There’s no loyalty between X, me, and the Summum-Master and no one checks on us, really. It’s the same people. They never change, never leave. I put that on my life and my brothers,” he says seriously, never breaking his eye contact from mine.

Subtly blowing out my breath, I look him over from head to toe. That same feeling in my gut that I had about Trex in that shitty situation I was in fills me when I look at Dec.

He’s just a victim of his circumstance as well.

“I’m sorry for making that sound like I thought you were on the Mastery’s side. I meant that I’ve met a couple people now who have been forced into this, and they don’t have a choice on what they can or can’t keep secret, but…” I pause, searching inside myself once more before making my decision. “We’re going to track and destroy my blood supply. Whatever the Summum-Master intends to do with it will bring destruction to Elementra.”

A range of emotions, from disbelief to relief, crosses his face. He glances at each of us slowly, and I have no clue what’s running through his mind, but a slow smile begins to spread across his lips.

“If you—”

Small trembles below our feet interrupt his words, and he tilts his head up to the sky as the three of us look around in confusion.

Suddenly, the foundation of this dream reality that I’ve woven shakes more violently, sending me falling into Codi’s side. The water from the pool a few hundred or so feet away shoots into the air like a fountain, the mansion begins to crumble, and all the trees in the forest start uprooting .

A crack in the earth splits right between us, sending Dec jumping backward, and Trex crashes into me and Codi.

“What the hell is happening?” I shout.

Dec glances around us with calm written across his features as though he’s experienced this a million times.

“You’re waking up,” he hollers.

“What? How? We’ve barely been here thirty minutes.”

He shakes his head at me. “Time moves very differently in the realm of dreams.”

Shit.

“We’ll do this again. We’ll come back and figure out a plan without messing with your rune.” Trex swears.

Again, a smile creeps across Dec’s face. He’s just as calm and steady as though he’s in his element. “No need, brother. If you find her blood, you’ll find us.”

We stare in stunned silence as the earth continues to shift and separate us further from Dec. A cloud of black fog edges up behind him and a chill at my back has me peering over my shoulder, witnessing the same darkness closing in around us.

My panicked gaze whips back to where he stands on the brink of the now massive sinkhole. He offers me a small nod, and with a smile to Trex and Codi, he waves bye as the darkness swallows him whole.

The three of us share a look, letting the realization of his last words settle in, and I hold their gazes as the black fog sucks them in.

Leaving me alone.

What the fuck do I do?

The darkness grows closer, circling me, but it never fully engulfs me. Reaching out to run my fingers through it, it fades and splits open to present a path for me to walk. Right back to my pallet.

Okay then. The way out is the same way I got in.

Wish any other time I asked myself questions, the answer would come that easily.

The soft blanket beckons me in, and I sit, watching as what I assume to be my awareness takes over my dreamscape. As I snuggle down, a drawn-out, seemingly never-ending yawn pours out of me, and the longer it lasts, the less clarity I have.

My head hits the pillow in sync with my eyes scanning the darkness one last time.

Then there’s nothing.

?

My eyes fly open and slam back shut just as fast. The blinding bright sun of Elementra is vastly different from the subtle lilac sky I created and with no fog to dim the shine, my lids refuse to lift.

Turning my face to the side sends a wave of dizziness through me, and the other two heads that are connected to mine flinch at my movement.

“Fuck. He was right there.” Trex’s groggy voice pulls a groan from my throat and the godawful feeling of being drunk makes my head swim.

“Will someone get me a healing vial, please? The two of them probably need one as well.”

Quiet murmurings ring in my ears, and I breathe through my mouth, fighting back the nausea crawling through my stomach. Each of my men’s presence flutters through my chest, but I can’t focus on that right now or I’m going to be sick.

“Here, princess. I’m going to sit your head up a little,” Corentin, my hero, whispers.

With one hand, he holds my head tenderly as the other pours one vial, then another in my mouth and I take every drop thankfully. The sweet liquid makes me hum in both appreciation for it being given to me, and with how fast it works.

Gaster is healing vial craft master, I swear.

The back of my lids changes from red to black as someone so graciously blocks out the sun and I blink a few times to straighten out my sight. It’s no surprise when they finally open on my command, I come face-to-face with my men all kneeling around me.

“Are you okay?” Tillman asks.

“Much better now. I didn’t know the tonic would make us feel so drunk and groggy. ”

“And it worked? He came to your dream?” Caspian asks stoically, and I arch a brow around at all four of them, but no one gives anything away.

“Yeah to both and I was able to pull Trex and Codi in there. Eventually.”

“Okay then,” Corentin says flatly, and confusion colors my face, but he doesn’t look at me. He nods behind me.

“Okay then…what does—”

I don’t get to finish my question before shadows swarm me and my men, whisking us through the walls of the mansion in seconds.

We’re spat out in the middle of my bedroom, but unlike my men, who step away from me, I find my feet tethered to the floor by vines and my arms strung up by shadows.

“What in the realm is going on with you four?” I ask, glaring at them as they stand together in a line, glaring right back at me.

“Who the fuck did that to you?”

I startle at the venom in Corentin’s voice. It’s not aimed at me, but the shaky tremor and anger behind it cause my brain to malfunction, and I have no clue what he’s talking about.

“Who did what?”

Despite my soft voice trying to rebuild the small thread of control I see him holding onto, it doesn’t work. He’s on me faster than my eyes or gift can track.

Gripping my chin in his hand, he turns my head to the side and with his other, he runs his finger across my cheekbone.

“Just because it’s healed up now doesn’t mean we didn’t have to watch that little cut bleed for an hour with no way to check on you or know what was going on. Which one did it, Willow? Now,” he whispers, completely contradicting the demand evident in his question.

He kisses my cheek where the mark I got must have come through to the real world and my breathing stalls in my chest.

Fuck me. This isn’t going to be good.

“Let’s just take a minute to cool off, okay? It wasn’t as bad as it may or may not have looked. It was a misunderstanding, and I handled myself just fine. ”

“There’s not going to be a misunderstanding when I eat that whole fucking Nexus, Willow,” Draken growls, stepping up beside Corentin.

The murder in his blazing cobalt eyes has my dragon shaking her body out in excitement and I have to shove her and her damn purr back down before she encourages him.

Turning to my most levelheaded of men, my mouth gapes open, then shuts right the hell back when I see the look in Tillman’s emerald eyes.

Shit.

“Tillman, call Ry off. Trex nor Codi did anything. You know that, you all know that. If you let me explain or, hell, I’ll show you, you’ll see everything was okay. Please,” I plead, knowing good and well Tillman’s probably told Ry to take them both to the dungeons or some shit.

“Fine. But he’s on standby if I don’t like what I see,” Tillman agrees after staring into the depths of my begging gaze.

Opening my mind, I lock it around theirs without giving them a warning or a minute to change their minds. If I don’t prove fast that this all went down before Dec knew anything, it’s going to be ugly for Trex and Codi. Dec still may get the shit beat out of him when we find him, but I’ll worry about that then.

The dream is easy to show in just a few seconds, and I blow out a breath of relief as the murderous tension in the room dissolves a slight bit.

I can work it the rest of the way out.

“See everything’s okay,” I say softly as soon as I cut them out of my mind.

“We have different definitions of okay, Primary,” Caspian says coldly.

“Okay, enough is enough. I get it. I got nicked in the face and I’m sorry it worried all of you, but it’s done. I handled myself just fine as you saw, and everything got worked out. Just, everyone, calm down.”

A tsk falls from Corentin’s lips as he turns my head back to face him and the dark smirk he’s wearing makes me press my thighs together.

I don’t exactly know what I said that just provoked him, but I do love it when his mask crumbles.

“You don’t get to tell us when enough is enough, princess. Weren’t you the one who busted into my office and threatened to rip my assistant’s throat out if she took another step toward me?”

A growl passes through my throat faster than I can stop it. It’s out there now, though. They all heard it, so all I can do is own it. “Yes, but she was trying to touch what’s mine.”

“And someone did touch what’s mine. After that, you needed to suck my cock to remind me who I belong to. You don’t think we all feel that possessive need? Sexual touch or not, another man had his hands on you with ill intentions. You don’t think we all want to bury our faces and cocks so deep in you, there’s no mistake who you belong to, who’s allowed to touch you?”

Oh, dear sweet Elementra.

“I do belong to you, all of you,” I choke out through my suffocation from the intense looks and dark, delicious intentions floating around the room.

“Yes, you do. And we’re going to make that very clear.”

The highness before me drops to his knees and bows his head until his face is buried in my pussy. The vines around my ankles spread my legs for him, while the shadows lift me up, giving him complete access to eat me out like a buffet.

The rest don’t give me a second to even gasp before they pounce.

Tillman takes my nipple fully into his mouth, causing me to cry out when he bites down lightly on it, but the sound is cut short when electricity shoots through my nerve endings from the chilled lips that capture mine.

Caspian doesn’t take it easy, sweet, or soft as he swallows down my moans. He demands them from me and takes them however he wants.

“That mouth’s gone and done it now, Primary. There won’t be ass spankings or edging. The dragon’s convinced us all you should endure the ultimate pleasure. I can’t wait to see how many orgasms it takes to make you tell us enough is enough again.”

Without another word, instead, with a dark promising chuckle, he dips his head down and latches onto my other nipple, pulling a cry of pleasure from my throat. When I throw my head back, it collides with a wall of muscle.

“Don’t worry, sweetness, I’ve given them a few of my tips and tricks on how to make you come the fastest. What I really wanted was a competition to see who could make you come the most, but I think they knew it was a given I’d win,” Draken whispers in my ear before laying kisses up and down my neck.

The stimulations are already too much.

Four against one is never a fair battle, and right now, my men are working together to lay waste to me. I’ll be lucky if I even know what realm I’m in by the time they’re done with me.

Draken’s hand slides down my back, and his blazing heat lights my spine on fire, causing my ass to arch into him, but Corentin snatches me back to him by my hips.

“Fuck, princess, your pussy tastes so good. Don’t try to take it from me again.”

“Oh fuck,” I moan.

His words drive me absolutely mad and a burning starts in my belly from something other than Draken’s hand.

“Almost there, little wanderer. I feel the tremble in your skin. Curl them fingers inside that tight little pussy, Core. She’ll come apart so beautifully,” he groans into my neck.

Fuck me, do that, please.

Corentin plunges two fingers deep inside me, curling them just the way I love, fucking crave, and damn if I don’t come on the spot.

His name bellows from my mouth and my other three men hold me up even though I’m firmly suspended in the air for their feasting pleasure. The slow, soft kisses he continues to lay on my clit has me squirming, trying to escape his magical tongue. I can’t take any more right now.

“It’s funny you think he’s the only one eating your pussy,” Tillman mocks in my mind, and my eyes fly open.

“Tillman,” I breathe.

“Don’t worry, little warrior, I’m gonna take care of you. ”

He and Corentin switch spots seamlessly, as though they’re planning this out mentally without involving me. Draken and Caspian laugh at my whimper.

The side of me that is lust drunk off these men right now is completely on board with being eaten out until I pass out. The other side is, in fact, fearful I’m going to pass out from too many orgasms.

“Caspian can keep you hydrated. You just worry about coming on my tongue. I’ll have you there in no time. Much faster than Corentin.”

“Draken said there wasn’t a competition,” I groan as he slowly starts to lower his body in front of me.

“We agreed on no competition for the most orgasms. No one said anything about the fastest.”

His knees hit the ground and his mouth is on me.

As is everyone else’s.

That little reprieve I got, they all backed off to mere teasing, toying with my nipples, running their hands up and down my sides, over the curve of my ass, but now all bets are back on.

Tillman pulls out every one of my favorites. The perfect pressure of the pad of his tongue on my clit. The exact curl of his finger inside of me. The vile, dirty praises he sings in my mind. They all add up to sending me right over the edge faster than I could prepare myself for.

My head lulls back on Draken’s chest and he lays sweet kisses up my neck and my throat until he can catch my lips with his. When he pulls away from me, he turns my head back forward, facing me off with my dark and damaged protector.

Who looks more like a predator currently.

“What will it be, Primary? You need a little break? Want me to take it nice and slow?”

Yes. No.

The challenge in his devilish smirk sends my body and mind into a tailspin. Fuck, I could use at least five minutes to regroup, but I know if I asked for that, their game would be over and I’m not truly ready for this to end.

Not by a long shot .

“Do your worst. Or your best. Whichever way you want to look at it.”

“Fuck, I love that sassy-ass mouth,” Corentin mutters from beside me, laying his lips on my shoulder, but I don’t dare take my eyes off the man in front of me.

“As you wish, Primary.”

His clothes vanish in a cloud of shadows, and Draken from behind me, grips my thighs and pries them even farther apart. I’m practically being presented to Caspian as an offering.

The leashes of shadows that have held my arms hostage this entire ordeal drag them forward where they loop around his neck for support as he crashes into me.

His lips are on mine, with his tongue fighting for control. His thumb finds its way to my extremely sensitive clit and his cock pounds into me. This overabundance of ecstasy is all my fault, though.

As he warned…

I know better than to taunt a monster.

Well, no, I don’t. He’s mine and my body, heart, and soul were made perfect for him. All of them.

I can take whatever they give me. Ten times over.

“Caspian.” I gasp as my ass fills with his gift. No warning, nothing.

The sudden fullness has a deep moan pulling from my throat, and I swear my eyes go crossed.

“Got to get you ready for the dragon, naughty little Primary.”

My eyes widen and my dragon purrs a sultry sound in my chest, thoroughly looking forward to that.

Again, with no warning whatsoever, my vines are released from my legs, and I’m whisked through the shadows for a brief second. When we reappear, I find myself looking down at Caspian.

His eyes are hooded, and small hisses fall through his lips as my hips begin to move of their own accord. Just like Corentin taught me, I grind myself down, begging for both more and less friction.

I’m so damn worked up, sensitive, and still turned on, my body doesn’t know what it wants at this point .

“That’s it, get yourself off on my cock,” Caspian orders, gripping my hips, making me go faster.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Good job, little warrior, just like that. Take what you want,” Tillman murmurs beside me.

And finally, I do decide enough is enough.

I want my men. All of them.

When this orgasm rips through me, I unleash my power. My earth element coats the room, undressing the still clothed men around me. My dragon summons Draken’s and with a resounding purr, he presses his chest to my back, holding his hand out to Cas.

Liquid flows from his fingers into Draken’s palm, and I stare, half mesmerized, half don’t give a fuck, as the water grows thicker. I already know exactly what he’s preparing to do, so I lean myself forward, poking my ass in the air. Provoking him on.

“Fuck, this is going to be amazing,” he mutters as he lines himself up at my asshole.

It’s far easier this time around now that Cas has prepared me plenty and after he takes a few cautions pumps, I push myself back, hissing as he slips past my wall of muscle.

“Damn it, little wanderer. Always so impatient for me.”

“Fuck me,” I command.

I need them to pound into me. I need to make them come undone. I need this overwhelming feeling of too much and not enough to be over.

And they do just that.

A couple strokes in, the two of them have a perfect rhythm going, and I’m a wanton mess between them, but I still need the other two on my sides.

Wrapping my shadows around them, they crawl toward me, slamming their mouths to whatever part of my body they can touch, but I need more than that.

“Stand up for me.”

Both do it with no hesitation, and I turn my head to Corentin first, sucking his cock down my throat without giving him any sort of warning. His hips buck, forcing himself further into my mouth, and I gag around him, but I don’t stop. I don’t slow down.

Commanding my shadows and water element to merge, I wrap Tillman’s dick up and lavish him with the same attention I’m giving to Corentin, while being fucked to oblivion.

If these men thought for a second that I didn’t or don’t decide when enough is enough, they’re wrong.

My lustful haze takes full control over me, and I rotate between which of my men gets my mouth while the other gets my gift and element. My name is a prayer being muttered from four different voices and it boosts my ego to unspeakable heights while I take them all like the goddess they call me.

As my final—this is the last fucking one—orgasm approaches, I know it’s going to do me in. I can’t take it anymore. The burning heat starts at my toes, traveling through me faster than a wildfire, and I come off Corentin’s dick with a loud, wet pop as it reaches my lower belly.

“Come,” I command, sending everything I feel, everything I have felt over the last however long, straight down their bonds.

Hot cum splatters across my chest as grunts and mutters of ‘fuck’ echo around the room. I scream out as Caspian and Draken empty themselves inside of me and when I feel their dicks stop twitching, I collapse.

“You okay, little wanderer?” Draken asks as he kisses his way down my spine.

“You all killed me. I’m dead. Death by too much sex,” I mumble against Cas’s chest.

“If you’re dead, Primary, you’re by far the most incredible, beautiful, and fucking badass ghost I’ve ever met.”

I snort and smile stupidly at Cas’s words, laying my lips to his heart and closing my eyes as they pull out of me.

“Let’s get you a healing vial, then you can get some good sleep, princess, we’ll take care of you,” Corentin whispers softly across my temple as he pulls me into his arms and starts carrying me to the bathroom.

The whiplash from these men, I swear.

Crazy-ass, psycho, jealous, possessive men.

I hope I dream of them when I go to sleep like he told me to.