Chapter Eighteen

August

No one answers Delaney because I’m pretty sure we’re all a bit stunned.

She was supposed to pick out something to inspire desire, and she couldn’t have picked better. I’m glad she chose something relaxed and comfy instead of something flashy, because if she’s ready to start a true mating with Leo, one where he gets to participate in everyday life with the rest of us, then starting it as her authentic self is a pretty damn good way to go.

Delaney holds eye contact with all of us, appearing somehow…shy.

I don’t think she’s ever been the object of so many people at once before, so maybe that’s what’s throwing her off. I don’t get the vibe that she’s nervous about solidifying her bond with any of us, I think it’s more that this is just a big deal. If someone were to tell me they had to have sex with all of their mates in order to complete some epic quest, I’d think they were crazy. Everyone looks ready to pounce on her, so I don’t think there’s any room for her to feel as if we’re being coerced in any way.

“Over here,” I whisper as I lead her to the balcony. It isn't big enough to hold more than two or three people, so I guess there’s going to be a queue.

“This feels awkward,” she admits.

I run my fingers through her hair and sweep it over her shoulder, brushing kisses along the side of her neck to try and get her out of her head. “Just focus on me, baby. It’s just you and me. After it’s just you and me, it’ll be you and someone else. This is more of a run-a-train-on-the-princess than it is an orgy-to-save-the-gargoyle.” Either way, he better appreciate the hell out of this because this is quite the offering.

She spins to look at Leo on his perch, and I get the feeling she’s cataloguing everything about him because hopefully this will be the last time she has to see him in this state.

Ash follows us onto the balcony, having laid the note inside after making sure he knew all of the necessary steps well. “You ready?”

She bites her lip but nods, unable to pull her eyes away from Leo.

Ash places the potatoes in Leo’s line of sight for when he’s able to come back to us, but not too close to us sothat we don’t inadvertently develop our own mashed potato fetish while we’re with our woman. I appreciate this forethought.

“You need to close your eyes and imagine everything you want to share with Leo; all your daydreams and hopes, ideas for the future, everyday moments…anything at all. And just picture the two of you in your mind, leaning into the bond you already share. Think about those early moments of meeting him and all the happy ones in between, and when you feel like you have a firm grasp on what you want out of this relationship, you’re going to press a heartfelt kiss to the goblin heart.” How did Ash just make kissing an old, dried-up organ sound sexy?

She looks repulsed. “I’m supposed to put my mouth on a shriveled up organ? That feels like something I’d very much not like to do.”

“There is no biological material left!” Cory reminds her from inside. Everyone is in the living room, having moved the furniture so they could relax while they wait their turn. Also, so they get prime views for the show that's about to kick off.

“This is for you, Leo, you high maintenance stone.” Delaney closes her eyes, and I keep my hands steady on her hips, leaning into her so she can feel my chest rising against her back. None of us make a sound, content to let her focus where she really needs to.

Eventually, she opens the box and lifts the goblin heart to her lips, pressing a kiss to it as Ash keeps talking.

“Good girl. Now you’re going to take that stone and you’re going to climb and you’re going to put it somewhere where it can rest against Leo’s skin on its own. Be careful not to fall.”

She only has to think for a heartbeat before she’s climbing onto the railing and using Leo’s massive stone wings to balance. His hands were frozen in a cupping motion over his heart, as if he anticipated this. She tucks the heart right into his hands and presses her forehead to his before kissing his stone lips and accepting help to get back onto the balcony.

“Now we start?” She asks.

“Now we start,” Ash says as he starts to back off of the balcony.

But she isn’t having that.

Delaney stops him and takes initiative, leaning her back against the railing and allowing one of her hands to rest on Leo’s foot behind her as her other hand wraps around Ash’s neck.

“I acknowledge you as my mate, Ash Wilder. My lion recognizes your strength and the qualities that you bring to this bond, and I’m ready to finish what we started before.”

He growls against her lips and doesn’t hesitate to lift her up, taking the moment for what it is.

I step back and give them a little space, but I’m unable to be too far away from her.

She meets my eyes over Ash’s shoulder as he reaches up and deftly removes her shirt, and I’m grateful for the way this balcony is private, so we don’t have to worry about any wandering eyes seeing what’s happening up here.

Delaney helps Ash out of his boxers and runs her hand all over his chest, all my blood rushing south at how much she’s already enjoying herself. She’s fucking beautiful as the moon rises, the quiet around us integrating into the landscape and making this ritual feel so intimate.

“Just let go and let me take care of you,” he whispers against her lips.

“Okay.”

I only watch them for a few minutes before I remember that this whole thing is about sharing. About proving jealousy has no room in this relationship, so while he lifts her up, I look for a place to wedge myself in.

Seeing as how her back is unoccupied, I try to pivot them so that her back is against the side of the building instead of the railing, keeping her hand on Leo’s foot as I give Ash the assist in holding her up.

He only spares me a quick spare glance, to which I simply tell him, “It will make the thrusting a hell of a lot easier, I promise. And please gods let there be thrusting because I’ve about had enough of you two not doing the thrusting.”

“Yes, I am also on team thrusting,” Delaney pants.

“Would it be too much to ask,” Ash asks me in the brief seconds he’s not sucking on her neck, “for you to remove my drawers?”

“Not too much trouble at all, as long as you promise to not continue to call them that. I know you’re older than us, but fuck, man.”

“Duly noted.”

I’ve never been in this position with anyone other than my brother, and I definitely feel his eyes on me as I help Ash out. It’s so fucking twisted to be imagining doing this with Jackson instead, pulling his underwear down while he takes Delaney, but it’s also so damn good.

The heat in my brother’s eyes definitely isn’t imagined, and I know he’s thinking the exact same thing I am.

“Single or double, pretty girl?” I ask, giving my full attention back to where it belongs.

“Single or double what ?” Ash asks, completely cute and innocent-like.

“Single at first. Then give me that double.”

Delaney wriggles herself into position and I do Ash another solid, reaching between them to help position him. He gives a little start at my hand on him, but once he feels Delaney’s heat surrounding him, nothing else matters at all.

I feel flashes of relief through the bond, breathing deeply after feeling compelled to fully accept this bond with Ash in order to really feel that he was hers.

“We’re doing this every damn day,” he pants, pulling her legs wider so he can get deeper inside of her.

“I’d ask for that in writing, but I’m pretty sure your hands are full right now. I was too furious with you before to fully appreciate the way those barbs feel and how right you feel sliding inside of me. Fuck. You still feel like you should have waited to make a move? That we aren’t godsdamned perfect together?”

“Past me was a stupid fuck. Let’s ignore his existence and pretend this was me all along.”

Her head falls back onto my shoulder, her shoulders heaving and body bouncing from each impact, and I’m aching to slip inside that tight heat and feel it for myself.

“How’s that single doing, Delaney? I’m thinking you look a bit hungry.”

“Just fucking give it to me, August. You know I can’t turn you down.”

I notch myself at her entrance and once again, shock Ash into a bit of a jump when he feels me, and it’s clear he’s never done anything like this before, but he’s about to ask himself why that is.

“Surely you don’t mean…”

“Watch and learn, Ashy boy,” I say with an enormous grin on my face.

The next time he slips out of her, I wedge myself in farther, letting his next thrust pull me in with him. The groans coming out of that man’s throat are absolutely indicative of the lion riding inside his body, and then I have to hold Delaney up while making sure he’s not falling over because it’s complete overload for him.

He’s a whimpering mess as he works her body, and when he looks at me, I know exactly what he needs. We turn again so that his back is now against the wall and I’m doing the really heavy lifting in the thrusting department, driving into both of them as their mingled cries drip into the night sky around us.

“Always so good, baby. Ashy, you didn’t once brag about these barbs you’re rocking. Do they feel as good for you as they do for me, Delaney?”

“Yes!”

“I’m sorry, we’re going to need a bit more noise for those of us inside. You want to tell us exactly how good that feels, beautiful?” The uneven cadence of my brother’s voice is distracting. I really want to turn and see what he’s up to, want to know if he’s got himself in hand as he tries to stave off his release at the sight of us working Delaney, but I literally can’t pull my eyes away from her.

I can’t see her face too well because of how she’s leaning against me, but it’s enough to know that she’s feeling incredible. So damn beautiful lost to her mates, and I can almost feel the magic heading to Leo from the display.

“So fucking good! His…dick…has barbs. Because he’s a cat. This is…so good. Fuck!”

Perhaps not as eloquent as Jackson wanted, but I can still feel the pull as she comes apart, draining the orgasms from our bodies with those specialized muscles.

“Thank you!” Adam calls from inside.

“Don’t forget to talk to Leo,” Ash reminds her as he puts out his hands to slump against the building. She leans forward to kiss him, nipping at his neck and making him shiver a good bit.

“Leo. Right. Sex is for Leo. Leo, you handsome gargoyle stud, this is what you get when you come to us. Three-ways on the balcony with a barbed dick brushing up against you.”

“Good enough, I suppose,” Ash says as he gingerly pulls from her body, swaying a little.

I don’t have to turn to know who’s waiting next because I already know exactly where my brother is.