Chapter 28

"Rest love," a soft voice murmurs. A tender kiss is dropped against my temple and I nestle into Sax's chest. His arms and wings wrap around me, shielding me from the breeze as I curl up on his lap beside the small bonfire they've made.

Is it just my imagination, or do Sax's lips not feel as cold as they once did?

"You're safe now," Mal says gruffly, his voice catching with emotion. There areThere are hints of frustration in his tone, but I know it's not directed at me. He's likely blaming himself for almost being too late to save me, but that's just foolish. The only person to blame here is Carver. And maybe Danvers.

Thank god he's gone now. They both are.

"We'll never let anything happen to you ever again," Jas promises.

I long to comfort and reassure him, all of them, but I can't summon the energy. I want to stay awake, to cherish the last hour or so with them before dawn draws them back to their sentinel states, but my eyelids are like lead and I don't think I could fight slumber even if I tried.

As I drift in and out of sleep. I'm aware of a soft mattress, blankets being drawn up around me, and then the cool press of someone beside me, Jas, I think, as the weight of the last few hours starts to pull me under.

They must have taken me back to the tower.

Good.

That house was never a home, and wherever they are is exactly where I want to be.

I snuggle in against his stone chest, smiling to myself as he draws me closer, his tail snaking its way around my leg and up to my thigh, tethering me to him. I smile.

This is the reassurance Jas needs – he's always been the tactile one – and I crave the comfort of his arms as much as he needs to ground himself in my touch. Together, we drift off into a dreamless slumber.

When I wake, I no longer have a clingy grotesque wrapped around me like a vine, and blinking, I realise why. The sun is high in the sky. I not only slept the rest of the night away, but most of the day too by the looks of it.

Disappointment at not getting to see my men before they turned lances through me, but I shake it off. It'll only be a few hours before the sun sets and I'm back in their arms again.

Climbing from the bed, I make my way over to the open window and gaze out at the manor house. It's badly damaged. Not quite in ruins, but not far off.

Good.

I hope the fire purged all of the evil within its walls and freed the innocent souls trapped there.

There's still smoke coming from the embers, and the fire is still smouldering in parts, but I can't bring myself to care. There was nothing within the house that I'm sad to lose – though the thought of that beautiful library perishing hurts a little – but so long as my monsters' home is safe, that's all that matters.

The breeze calls me, so I sit on the window ledge.It must be thirty feet to the ground, and without them here, I'm trapped in the tower. A literal Rapunzel with no way down until nightfall. The only way in and out is through the window and it's far too high and dangerous to climb.

Sighing, I pace around, unable to explain my restlessness. I grab a book from the shelf and thumb through it, but I don't want to read. On one of the small tables, one of them has left me a glass of water and some fruit – which I suspect they may have picked rather than taken from the remains of the burned kitchen. I smile, it must have been Sax because Jas was holding me while I slept, and I take a bite out of one of the apples. When I'm finished, I return to pacing, thinking.

With Carver gone, I'm free.

What does that mean?

I could go home.

The idea doesn't appeal as much as I thought it would.

What's waiting for me back in my hometown? The house is probably gone. All my things too. None of my own clothes even made it to the manor, so I doubt anything else remains. Carver never planned to let me return home.

I lost contact with the few friends I had at school after my mother's death and I guess they will have moved on to university by now. I'd also have to face all sorts of awkward questions about where I've been. There's clearly no place for me back there.

But I'm not sure what my place here is either.

The house is gone.

I can hardly stay here, trapped in a tower alone by day, only to be ravaged by monsters by night. Can I?

What if something happened when they were stuck in their stone forms? How would I escape?

It's insane that I'm even trying to figure out how a life with them would work. But my heart is resolute.

I want to stay.

Wherever they are, is where I want to be.

"Something on your mind, little hellion?" I gasp as Mal's teasing tone penetrates the fog of my thoughts.

The large gargoyle climbs through the window, tucking away his wings and smirking devilishly at me.

"H-how?"

"Apologies for not being here when you woke up, Ari," Sax adds, coming through behind him. He's holding back a grin.

I shake my head. Jas joins us, a huge smile stretching across his face. "We couldn't resist the call of the sun and lost track of time."

"Y-you're not stone," I stammer, trying to comprehend what was happening before me and failing. "How are you here right now? Am I dreaming? Am I dead? I'm dead, aren't I?"

"You're not dead, little dove," Sax says with a soft chuckle, closing the gap between us and scooping me up into his huge arms. His skin feels warm against mine.

"And if you're dreaming, then we all are, and it's the most amazing dream I never want to wake up from," Jas adds with a relaxed sigh.

"I don't understand."

"Neither do we," Mal states. "The sun rose, and we didn't turn to stone. It's the first time I've ever felt the sun on my wings in this form, my first time flying in daylight. It was amazing."

Tears prick at my eyes. I'm so happy they got to experience that.

"I think our curse is broken," Sax tilts his head and glances out the window thoughtfully. "I think we are no longer bound to the estate like we once were."

"What does this mean?"

"It means we never have to leave you!" Jas cheers, plucking me from Sax' arms and spinning me around in the air until I'm giddy and giggling.

"Jas." Sax's tone is sharp. A warning.

My happiness fades a little as Jas puts me back on my feet with a sheepish apology, and I take in the serious expression on Sax's face. Mal looks mad, but that's pretty standard for him. Jas looks crestfallen.

What's happened? A second ago the three of them were the happiest I've ever seen them. Now…I don't know what's changed.

"Ari," Sax begins. My heart thunders. I don't like his tone at all.

"Love…"

Why does he sound heartbroken?

"I'm afraid this may be the last time you see us like this," Sax continues, his voice heavy with emotion. "The curse binding us to this place has lifted, yes, but it also means you are free to leave. To move on."

My heart plummets at his words, a cold dread settling in my stomach.

They're my protectors, my companions. It doesn't matter that the threat they were protecting me from is gone. I can't be without them.

"No," I whisper, shaking my head in denial. "You can't leave me. I c-can't go. I have nowhere else to go. I need you."

Sax's eyes soften, but his resolve remains unyielding. "And we need you too, Ari. But you cannot stay here forever. It's time for you to find your own path, to explore the world beyond these walls which have held you prisoner for so long."

Jas and Mal stand beside him, their expressions a mixture of sorrow and determination. I can see the conflict within them, torn between their loyalty to Sax and their love for me.

Tears blur my vision as I reach out a trembling hand towards them. "Please… don't make me leave. I really do want to stay with you all. I love you."

Sax steps closer, taking my hand gently in his own. "You are strong, Ari. Stronger than you realise. You don't need us to protect you anymore. It's time for you to spread your wings."

Shaking my head, I take a step back before sitting on the bed with my arms crossed. "If you don't want to be with me, that's fine. But you can't force me to leave this place. I'll rebuild the house if I have to. I'm staying."

"Of course we want to be with you, Ari!" Jas cries, his eyes filling with tears, making me pause. Can monsters cry? Jas clambers onto the bed beside me, pulling me into his chest, wrapping his arms and huge wings around me protectively.

"Jas…" I whisper, clinging to him as my own tears threaten to spill. "Do you feel…warm?"

"What?"

"You feel…warmer than before. And there's a tear on your cheek. Do grotesques cry?"

"N-no."

Sax and Mal exchange a surprised glance as Jas hesitantly brushes a hand over his cheek, staring at the glistening tear in confusion.

"I... I don't understand," Jas mutters, his voice a mixture of wonder and disbelief as he gets to his feet.

"Could it be?" Mal murmurs, stepping closer to inspect Jas' face. "Is this part of the curse lifting?"

Sax reaches out a hand, his fingers trembling as they touch Jas' cheek. A jolt of electricity seems to pass between them, and suddenly, a subtle colour blooms on Jas' grey skin, spreading like wildfire. His grotesque features soften, taking on a more human-like appearance with each passing moment.

I watch in stunned silence as the grotesque before me transforms into something softer, something more human, but still monstrous. Still the same form, but different. Something ‘other'.

"Sax," Jas says in a voice that is no longer gravelly but soft and full of emotion. The tears continue to flow down his face, but now they are tears of wonder. "I feel...I feel alive."

Sax lets out a choked sob and pulls Jas into a tight embrace, holding him like he's afraid to let go. Mal watches on with a mixture of shock and awe, before stepping forward and flicking out his tongue to taste one of Jas' tears.

As the final traces of the curse dissipate, revealing three monstrous men, a sense of warmth envelops my heart. "So you're free of the curse. Not tied to the moon anymore. And you can…you can cry and blush, and feel warmth. This is?—"

"Astonishing," Mal murmurs, turning his clawed hands over, as he examines the muted colours that have replaced the shades of grey.

"Perfect," Jas says. "Don't you see? This is another sign that Ari should stay with us. Sax, you were worried about condemning her to a life of isolation but it doesn't have to be like that."

Sax stares at Jas, then at me, hope flickering in his eyes.

"Ari…" he begins, his voice tentative. "We will never be human. Do you still wish to stay with us now, knowing the risks and challenges that come with it? Knowing that the curse may have been lifted but our past still haunts us?"

I nod vigorously, tears of relief streaming down my face. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I want to stay with you all, no matter what. I love you all so much. A life without you in it, is no life at all."

A sense of unity washes over us, binding us together in a way that feels unbreakable. Sax pulls me into a tight embrace, his heart beating strong against mine. Mal claps Jas on the back, a rare smile gracing his lips. Jas simply looks at me with an expression of pure adoration, his soft transformation still sinking in.

"We are stronger together," Sax declares, his voice filled with conviction. "We can rebuild the manor and make it ours. But first, I need to reassure myself that you're okay, my love."

"I'm fine," I reply, just relieved that I get to stay, that we can be together.

"Please, love. Let me see you?" Sax implores.

He reaches out to touch my cheek gently, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. With a soft smile, I nod silently, giving him permission to check. Sax's hands move with care, inspecting the bruises from the ropes and scratches on my skin. His thumb brushes over Carver's already fading bite mark on my cheek. As he tends to me, I can't help but marvel at the tenderness in his actions, his love a balm to my wounded soul. The three of them are meant to be monsters, but they've shown me more human compassion and love than anyone else has for a long time. I feel so blessed to have found them. To have found love.

Sax captures my chin in his large hand and draws my attention back to him. "Ari, love. Pay attention."

I blink. "Wh-what?"

His lips meet mine in a gentle, reassuring kiss, but it quickly heats up when Sax groans into my mouth.

All my doubts and fears melt away as I lose myself in the kiss, surrendering to the passion that ignites between us. Sax's hands move possessively over my body, pulling me closer, as if he never wants to let me go. Fire courses through my veins as our connection deepens, a primal need awakening within me. I respond eagerly, my hands wrapping around his horns as I press myself against him and tug him closer.

A crash reverberates through the room, startling us apart. My heart races as I look around, remembering that we are not alone. Embarrassment floods through me, but Sax only chuckles softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No need to be shy now," he murmurs, his voice husky with desire.

Heat creeps up my cheeks and I glance at the others. Do they feel left out? We've always been together, but Sax and I…we've never…

"It's about time, you two," Jas teases, a playful grin on his face.

"We've been waiting for this moment," Mal adds. "I can't wait to watch you take his knot, little hellion."

I swallow nervously at his words. Me? Take Sax's knot? He's so huge already, there's no way his knot will fit inside me too.

The lust that was ignited by Sax's kiss is extinguished as fear and trepidation takes over.

"I-I…" The words won't come out.

Fuck.

How am I going to manage this?

"It's okay little dove. I'd never hurt you." Panic flickers in Ari's eyes, so I wrap my arm around her protectively, pulling her closer to my side. "It's why I've waited. But I need to make you mine."

She gives me a gentle smile that's like the early morning rays. "I've always been yours. The three of yours, Daddy."

Her words are my undoing. I need to protect her and make her understand that I would never risk harming her. She may believe my words, my vow, but I need to show her.

Scooping her up into my arms, I carry her to the bed, and lay her down like the precious treasure she is. She looks up at me with love and trust shining in her bright blue eyes.

With a careful claw, I shred her flimsy nightie right down the centre, marvelling at how perfect she looks bared before me like an offering. She makes my mouth water, but I resist the urge to bury my face between her legs.

I've waited too long to make her mine, letting my brothers savour her touch, preparing her for me, and now that the moment is here…

"Daddy, please."

Fuck.

I crawl between her legs, intently watching her parted lips, her scent intoxicating me. I need to show her that she belongs to me.

"You're mine, Ari," I growl, my voice dark and primal. "I've come to take you, to claim you. I need to feel you around me, to know that you're mine."

Her eyes widen, and she nods, understanding the intensity building within me. She wants this just as much as I do.

Claiming her mouth in a fierce kiss, my tongue delves deeper, tasting her, marking her as mine. Her tiny hands grip my horns before moving down my body to my wing slits.

I slide one finger inside her soaking wet tight pussy, and kiss my way down the column of her neck, leaving love bites on her skin. Her body will be my undoing. She rocks against me, demanding more as my thumb traces lazy circles over her clit.

One becomes two. I stretch her, twisting and scissoring, slowly fucking her with my fingers. "So perfect. You're going to be such a good girl for me, aren't you?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"My filthy girl," I murmur against her nipple while adding another finger. "I've got three fingers buried inside you, but it's not enough, is it?"

My tongue flicks out over the hardened nub, drawing another little noise from her as I suck, hard.

Almost reluctantly, I pull away and position myself at her entrance, my gaze locked on hers. "Are you ready, little dove?"

Her nod is tremulous, her eyes filled with desire and trust. She wants me, needs me.

Pressing the head of my cock against her slick cunt, I slowly push forward inch by inch until I'm fully immersed in her, the pleasure overwhelming.

She cries out as I roll my hips, and I know she feels the connection, the bond I'm forming with her.

"Take me, Daddy," she begs, her voice a seductive whisper, and I suck in a sharp breath, her words sending jolts of lust through me. "I need you."

My movements are slow and steady at first, but the sensations are too much and not enough. I'm possessed by an animalistic instinct, a primal need to claim her.

In one swift movement, I pull out and thrust again, hard.

I need to feel her around me, to know that I am hers and she is mine.

My tempo is punishing, almost cruel as I pound into her sweet body.

But my dove can take it.

She moans and arches her back, her eyes fluttering shut as she takes everything I give her, welcoming me with the buck of her hips, her legs wrapping around my waist.

Jas and Mal watch from the sofa, their expressions hungry as they enjoy the show, hands moving lazily over one another as Ari makes the most delicious noises.

My brothers are a part of me, a bond that's been strengthened through the centuries. They're giving me a gift, this moment alone with Arianwen, so that we can complete our bond like the ones they have with her.

As I continue my relentless pace, I can't help whispering in her ear. "I'm going to stretch you out with my knot, my dove. And you'll take it all, won't you?"

She whimpers, her body clamping down around me, loving my words.

"That pretty pink pussy is going to be wrecked," I continue. "Nothing will ever feel as good as being pumped full of my cum, my knot keeping it all inside you."

Her eyes shine as she groans, her fingers dipping into my wing slits as if she's trying to fuse herself to me. Bury herself beneath my skin.

"I'm going to breed you. Fill you up until you're cum drunk. You're going to carry my seed in your womb, your body swollen and perfect." I grunt against her ear before capturing the soft part of her lobe between my teeth. "Jas and Mal will take their turn too. Hmm, you'll be sloppy and dripping for us."

A fire burns within me, consuming me, and I lose control. I slam into her, our bodies slick with sweat and passion.

"Give in, little dove. Give Daddy what he craves." My thrusts become harder, faster, more uncontrolled.

Her body convulses around me, her orgasm washing over us both as she cries out. I can feel her getting tighter, her pussy pulsating around my throbbing cock as she clamps down on me.

"Daddy! Oh god, Daddy Sax, don't stop. Please don't stop. Fuck!"

"I'm going to breed you until it takes, Arianwen. You're ours. There's no escaping. I want to see you pregnant with our child," I promise as I drive into her harder, the visceral need to be deep inside her, as deep as I can get, overriding everything.

The pleasure is too intense, too overwhelming. I can't hold back anymore.

"I'm going to fill you," I groan, my voice hoarse with passion. "I'm going to breed you, my dove. You're going to be so beautiful, pregnant with my child. These lovely tits will grow full and heavy with milk we can't wait to taste."

Her cries fill the room as her inner muscles grip me, milking me for everything I have.

Jas and Mal don't tear their gazes away from our little hellion. They know that what's happening is not just about me claiming Ari, but the final piece of our family clicking into place.

And then, it happens.

The familiar sensation builds within me, the desire to knot her, to lock her around me forever. It's a possessive need, a claim that goes beyond mere sex. It's the ultimate expression of our bond.

As I continue to thrust, my knot begins to swell. Ari moans, her eyes widening as I stretch her further. But I can't stop now. I need to own her completely.

"Good girl. You're taking me so well. Look at you, you were made for my knot," I breathe against her sternum, our sweat slicked bodies cinched together. "I am so proud of you, little dove."

She squirms on my knot, but it's too late to pull out. I'm locked inside her, my knot securely in place as I cum, connecting us in a way that goes beyond just physical pleasure.

My cock throbs, as I paint her insides with my cum, flooding her womb. My knot will stop anything leaking from her so that she can take it all.

I roll onto my back, gently pulling her with me so that she's laid on my chest, our bodies entwined, our hearts beating as one. Jas and Mal are locked in a passionate embrace and I gently turn Ari to watch them, telling her, "Look, little dove. Look what you did to them. How wild you drove them."