56. Aurelia

Chapter 56

Aurelia

W e arrive back at the school two days later, driving in under the cover of darkness. We stay in different hotels to our previous trip back from The Jewel of the Jungle and talk very little, my mates letting me process everything that's happened. At least twice I'd run into the bathroom and locked myself in, sitting on the toilet and crying into my palms. I'd been crying in bathrooms by myself for so long that it came most naturally and was important for me to do in between the crying and snotting all over Savage and Lyle.

My lion and wolf cradle me every night as I lie awake and see my mother's face on a loop. I usually end up falling asleep somewhere near dawn and then sleep in the car with my head on Savage's shoulder, sometimes with Eugene on my lap when I needed his familiar, feathery warmth. I feel Scythe's eyes on me the entire time. Feel the gears turning in his mind as he wonders about my surge of power that night.

I can't even find the mental energy to care about that. Discovering new powers isn't exactly a new thing for me and even if it were exciting that I could throw fire now, it won't bring my mother back. It won't give her back the decade and a half that had been stolen. It doesn't change the atrocity of the situation and the way it makes nausea roll in my stomach as if I'm stuck out on a violent sea in nothing but a tiny dinghy.

Savage and Lyle are with me in the dinghy, but even when they try to feed me spoonfuls of food or the big blocks of chocolate Savage purchases, I can't find the appetite. Scythe is like the monster in the ocean, nothing but his eyes and fin letting us know he's always watching, always waiting. As if I'm a live grenade ready to explode at any moment.

And in truth, I feel like it.

I feel like one wrong move, one wrong trigger, and I will blow myself apart. I know that what I'd done at Naga mansion and then again at my mother's funeral was unexpected. I know that level of power has never come to me before. It feels like, if I so wished it, I could send all of us spinning into a waterspout out into the sea and never come back.

Sometimes in and out of dozing, I swear I hear a ticking clock. Other times it's the death rattle of tired lungs. And once, I felt the brush of furious, venomous fangs shrouded in dark power.

I wonder if this will make my father hate me more. I hope it does. Because it'll never match the hatred I feel for him.

When Scythe drives up to the academy, the two massive bear guards, Ernie and Bernie, also called the Forklift Brothers, quietly open the academy's gigantic gold and cast-iron front gates, allowing our SUV, and the one with Marduk and Raquel, to pass through and into the underground car park where the faculty house their cars.

I say goodnight to Raquel and let Minnie know I'm back via telepathy as we silently head back to our suite. A dull ache permeates every vessel of my body. Though I slept in Savage's arms for that last stretch, my body feels like a ten-thousand-pound weight is dragging me down to the depths of the ocean. I'm so tired that I end up tripping on the top step to our hidden suite, and Lyle, clucking like a mother hen under his breath, scoops me up and takes me into the bathroom. I probably smell or something because I'd much rather go to bed, but Savage and Scythe silently follow us in there and I find myself suddenly more alert. Eugene sleepily plods towards Xander's bed, where he'll no doubt sleep the night away.

The dragon has, thankfully, been MIA the last two days, so it's not at all awkward when Lyle pulls my T-shirt off.

He brushes his fingers over my stomach, like he always does, checking the dark pink scars that are still angry, diagonal slashes across my skin.

I undo my bra, sighing in relief before tossing it at Savage. He hugs the hot pink cups to his chest like I've given him a gift and then carefully folds it and places it in the laundry skip with his own clothes. Lyle undoes the button of my jeans, which does funny things to the secret places inside my pelvis, before he crouches, tugging them down. I place my hands on his massive shoulders as I step out of them, and he presses his mouth to my thigh before straightening. Scythe is already naked, turning towards the showers.

During the last two nights we'd taken the same motel room, all slept in the same pack bed, and used the same bathroom, each of us one at a time.

And now, standing stark naked with all three of them, watching Scythe turn one of the three golden shower heads and Savage turn on the other, their naked asses solely for my viewing pleasure, I feel a greater responsibility now.

Not only over myself, and my promised revenge to my mother, but over these males. Lyle and Savage promised their hearts to me, and I treasure that with everything I have.

Lyle, now naked and standing under the third spout and rubbing soap on his hard chest, throws a smirk on his shoulder and I suddenly realise that I've been staring at them for the past minute. Savage turns around, running his hand over his eight or ten pack, whatever the hell he has these days, before I see his rock-hard cock standing to attention. My wolf casts me a lopsided grin, falling back onto the tiled wall behind him and lazily pumping his cock as he eyes me with hunger.

It's sweet he's happy to take care of himself, but I find myself biting my lip and darting a glance at the always-steaming, inset jacuzzi that sits patiently to my far right. Savage follows my line of sight and raises a brow.

Lyle notices something is happening straight away, and turns around to look between me and Savage. I lick my lips, my eyes darting towards the jacuzzi again, then to Scythe.

The Great White shark, likely noticing everything and pretending not to, is determinedly soaping himself. Lyle turns his entire body around to stare at me too, and I try hard not to look at his thickening length.

That jacuzzi would feel amazing to my aching body, and now that we're home, I might actually be able to relax. So I tear my eyes away from my mates and pad my way to the heaven made of steam and water. There are steps to get in, but no railing, so I step in slowly, bending over to lay a hand on the flat of the stone.

The water is pleasantly warm and I grin sleepily to myself because I'm a genius. This looks like the best place to sleep. I set my back against one side and stick my foot out in front of me, letting one of the jets tickle the end of my feet, giggling at the pressure.

It takes them all of three seconds to join me.

Savage comes in first, wielding a cake of white soap like a weapon before wading over to me and rubbing it slowly over my neck and shoulders. Lyle has a washcloth and tugs my back to him, following Savage's movements, which makes the wolf look very pleased with himself. They work together surprisingly soundly, and all that's left for me to do is tilt my head back onto Lyle's chest and enjoy the sweet caress on my skin. Each stroke of the soap, the washcloth and their hands, the feel of their naked skin pressed against me, relaxes my sore muscles and feeds my aching heart. I sigh contentedly, and it turns into a little moan as Savage's fingers brush over my clit, rubbing a slow circle before slowly running his finger down the slit of my pussy. Lyle's washcloth passes over a second later and I gasp, reaching a hand out to find Savage's hard bicep. I run a hand over his arms and he groans, making me grind my hips into both Lyle's cock and his hand.

I'm gently passed over to Savage, who presses kisses to my neck, his arm reaching down between us to find my clit again.

Lyle's washcloth skims the round of my ass before trailing down my cleft to my asshole, where he uses a little circular pressure. They work me like an instrument of their own making, massaging and kissing my neck on both sides.

"Such a sweet regina," Savage whispers roughly in my ear. "Such a perfect sweet thing." I tilt my head up and put my arms around his neck, pulling him down so I can claim his mouth. Savage groans, his fingers claiming my pussy at the same time. I moan into lips and his tongue slides along mine, tasting hungrily.

Lyle gently bites at the tender flesh between my neck and shoulder and I reach my right hand around to hold the back of his neck. Lyle replaces the washcloth at my ass with his thumb, circling the tight band of muscle until I relax into him. A tender, seductive coil winds its way through my ass and right through my core. I feel myself dripping onto Savage's fingers.

Breaking my kiss with Savage, I turn to find Lyle is already waiting, and he roughly captures my lips with his, his tongue commanding entry into my mouth. His thumb slips into my ass and I gasp.

"More!" I moan. Where is my shark? Where is my Scythe?

I get my answer a second later because the shower has already turned off and a small movement of the water tells me that the devil has entered the pool. I feel his eyes on me as I always do, even when I can't see him—a cool caress of piercing sight down my cheek, my spine. I writhe against both lion and wolf, before grabbing Savage's cock and positioning it at my entrance.

"Regina," Savage groans, biting my neck as I allow him entry. I throw my head back, making a sound of utter pleasure as my wolf pierces my core, stretching me in the way only he can.

But Lyle's cock is also massive and hard against the cleft of my rear. I look around for him.

"I need you," I pant.

Lyle swallows, pupils dilated and almost engulfing the amber irises before he asks hoarsely, "Are you ready for this, angel?"

I'm gripping Savage's shoulder so hard it must hurt, but I'm sure. "I'm so ready, lion man."

"Be careful," Scythe warns from my left.

His concern warms something vital in me.

Panting, I look around at Scythe as Lyle enters me. My lion growls upon entry and I cry out without closing my eyes, letting my pleasure show, instinctively letting my power reach out in three streams of offering.

My shark's glowing sapphires are intense on me as he wades closer and I know it's him, only him and not his shark that is leading. I must really be pleading with my eyes, because suddenly there are three beasts towering around me.

Lyle is slow and careful with easing his length into me. Scythe reaches out, caressing the back of his knuckles down my cheek.

"Breathe, Aurelia," he rasps. "Relax for your mates."

Whether it's my name on his lips or his gentle touch, my body obeys. Savage and Lyle hold my weight between them in a tangle of muscular arms around my thighs and waist so that I can let go completely and let my mate enter me. Scythe holds my gaze in a tight grip, his lips parted.

"Fuck," I gasp.

"I know, baby," he replies.

With those three words, I drench Savage's cock.

There are two monstrous cocks inside of me, one lion and one wolf, and I understand magic in that moment, as our bodies pant under the intensity.

But something is still definitely missing.

I rest my forehead on Savage's jaw, swallowing down my need for Scythe. Savage slides in, then out, Lyle fucking me in tandem with him. My body melts into theirs, taking in the pleasure, the slight burn. Their grunts, their soft moans, are like kindling to the delicious high that is bubbling its way through me.

As if he can't help it any more, Scythe's hand reaches out, and he cups my cheek, stroking my cheekbone with his thumb. I lean into him, craving more of his touch, a small, needy whine escaping my lips on an exhale.

Lyle pumps into me jerkily, his big hands squeezing my hips. Scythe leans in as if he too craves to join our writhing dance. I reach for him, placing a hand around the back of his neck, my thumb grazing his mating mark.

He closes his eyes, and I can't tell if it's pleasure or pain in that tortured expression. The backs of my eyes burn, and I immediately go to move away, except his other hand presses my hand back down. He swoops in, his mouth devouring my moans, his tongue demanding, consuming, ravenous.

His need for me takes my breath away in that moment, as if I've never really understood how hard he's been holding himself back, how much fire he has inside. How much desire.

Those lips command my mouth for moments in which I feel weightless, timeless, as if we are four beings swaying in the ether, lost in only each other.

But a strain in Scythe's movements brings me back to reality.

Because his kiss has changed its cadence, his lips barely grazing mine as if it's now painful for him.

"I don't want it if it hurts you," I whisper against his lips.

He pulls his face away, his hand still cupping my cheek.

Those sapphires glint and glimmer like the surface of a sun-filled lake. A distracting surface that hides the darkness beneath. "I want to watch you come, Aurelia," he breathes. "Don't take your eyes off me." It is a command that makes my stomach flop and my pussy tighten enough to make Savage tilt his head back. But does Scythe not want to be the one to make me come?

He makes no move closer, his position clear.

Well, if this is all he will allow me to have of him, then I will respect that. So I give into my wolf and lion, letting them stroke me and fuck me until I'm wound higher and higher on wings made of glittering pleasure. My blood screams with happiness as I look deeply into Scythe's eyes. He fixes me with his own darkening gaze, and it's that which makes me come undone. The cold, dark fire written there, directed at me. That gleam of desire that I've craved so long to see.

And then he cocks his head and smirks.

I come with body-shaking intensity, one arm around Savage's neck, the other flung behind me around Lyle. My scream echoes around the bathroom and the water moves violently around us as the two big males pump their own pleasure into my body, filling me with hot bursts of their cum at the same time. I grind my hips like a wave against them, panting and wringing them out, wanting every last drop as I come down from utter pleasure. Lyle moans into my ear, his teeth scraping my neck. Savage groans, taking my thumb into his mouth and sucking hard, his hips stuttering.

I'm left panting, sandwiched between them, my eyes hooded and droopy on Scythe. The Great White shark blinks slowly, as if marking this tableau in his mind, his tattooed chest expanding on an inhale.

"Good girl," Scythe says into my mind, before turning around and climbing out.