Four

M oon

“Gladly,” the kiss is soft and slow at first. His lips are gentle and not demanding, but I can feel how badly he wants me. Cato’s hands were still on my hips, but now they’re moving down my thighs. I can feel his hardness pressing against my center, and I rock my hips forward against him.

“Moon,” Cato moans, and I break away from my kiss with Odas and turn to look at my Dragon. I bite my lip and run my hands over his chest. He’s so attractive, and I’m getting used to his reptilian eyes, even though they only come out when he’s in his beast mode.

“I won’t let anyone hurt either of you ever again,” I vow, feeling the words in my soul, and knowing they feel exactly the same. I lean down and kiss him softly. I don’t know how often these men have been treated gently in their lives, and I hate that thought.

They both already feel like mine. They are mine. And I am theirs.

Odas runs his hand down my back, and I shiver at the contact. It feels so fucking good to be touched by him.

I kiss Cato’s jaw, then neck, before biting his skin softly, making him shiver under me. His hands grip my thighs tighter, and I roll my hips, moaning when his hardness presses against my clit.

“Fuck, Moon, you’re so beautiful,” Odas groans, his hand trailing down my spine and back up.

Odas has just reached the clasp on my bra when a gong sounds, and that damn voice speaks again.

“You have two hours to report to the next trial. If you do not pass through the trial doors before they close, then you’ll be sent to exile. Ticktock, don’t delay.”

I instantly deflate, my body going limp on top of Cato, who isn’t limp at all...

“That motherfucker. Damn cock block! He knows exactly what he’s doing!” I complain, and Odas chuckles, as he falls back against the mountain of pillows Cato built for us.

“We need to hurry. You doing okay, Cato?” Odas asks his friend, who shakes his head no, before dropping his head back against the pillows and looking up at me when I sit up.

“Boo. How do I file a complaint?” I fall forward on Cato’s chest once more, feeling especially pissed about being interrupted.

“Come on, you two, let’s get dressed,” Odas chuckles, giving us a wink before getting up and walking over to the supply table.

“I want everyone to know, I think this is some bullshit,” I huff, as I climb off Cato’s lap. When he gives my ass a small smack, I giggle.

I’m starting to think this is the universe fucking with me, trying to keep me celibate. Some kind of cock blocking conspiracy.

Reluctantly, I follow their lead and get ready for the bullshit coming my way.

The way to the next trial is clearly marked, and that makes me a little suspicious. As we got dressed, I kept hoping the other guys, and Sweet Girl, would catch up with me. Odas and Cato did a good job of reassuring me that they must be okay because if they weren’t, I’d be dying in pain right now.

“You’d feel it in your soul if they died,” Cato says, his voice still very husky and seriously sexy.

“Would I feel if they were hurt?” I ask, and Cato shakes his head.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think so, unless they were so badly injured they were dying.”

“That's not reassuring,” I grumble.

“Sure it is. Your men are hard to kill, and very capable of handling themselves,” Odas says, bumping me with his shoulder.

“You literally took an Ogre club to the abdomen and started bleeding to death,” I remind him, and he chuckles.

“True, but he caught me off guard, while Cato was peeing. I thought the ruckus was just Cato in his Dragon form fucking around.” The Cyclops shrugs, and I narrow my eyes.

“I’m sure.”

I sigh, trying not to worry too much. Just because they aren’t dead, doesn’t mean they’re still in the Tournament, it just means they aren’t dead. At some point, they’ll all have to lose if I’m going to win.

That’s a bit of an issue, but we’ll cross that bridge later.

Still, all the reassurance in the world can’t ease my anxiety. I was fine, at first, assuming they’d eventually catch up. Thinking that maybe they were just taking longer to find me because of the rain.

Now, despite my worry, I need to find a way to focus on the next trial. I’ll deal with finding them after.

“You okay?” Odas asks, reaching down to hold my hand, and I smile up at him.

“Mostly. I’m worried about them. And I’m also worried about having to eliminate the rest of you,” I chuckle, trying to defuse the tension, but it’s true.

“It’ll work out, one way or the other. Don’t worry yourself too much, just focus,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze.

“Okay.” I nod, agreeing. He’s right. One way or another something will give, all I can do is try my best to make sure it isn’t me.

“None of us doubt you’ll win, Moon,” Cato adds, looking over at me, and I notice he’s looking much less Dragony now. Maybe he’s calmed down a bit.

“How are you feeling?” I ask, ignoring his words about me winning.

“I’m not as likely to try impregnating you now, as I was before,” Cato answers casually, with a one-shoulder shrug. Meanwhile, my eyebrows shoot up, and I halt in my tracks.

“Sorry. Did you just say impregnate me? And what exactly does ‘less likely’ mean?” I ask, staring at Cato with wide eyes. When was knocking me up on the table?

“He’s a Dragon, Moon. The last Dragon of his kind. His biological need to mate with you is driven by more than just how sexy you are,” Odas chuckles, and I swallow thickly.

“So, he just wants to breed me?” I ask, wondering if I’ve been wrong about his desire for me this entire time.

“What? No!” Cato spins around, realizing I stopped walking a while ago. He walks back to me quickly and cups my face in his hands, pressing our bodies together, as I drop Odas’s hand. “Listen to me, Moon.” Cato is so close, I can feel his warm breath fan across my skin. “I was enchanted by you, from the moment I laid eyes on you. I saw you at the banquet, looking like a fucking Siren, and I wanted you. Then, when we were grouped together in the first trial, I thought I was the luckiest man alive because I’d have the chance to make you want me too.”

“Why do you think he stayed naked for so long?” Odas chuckles, making Cato blush.

“Ignore him,” he says, but I can’t help but smile.

“You thought your cute butt would win me over?” I tease, and he smirks.

“I thought it might help. You looked so damn gorgeous in that dress, but when you took your heels off and threatened to kill me? Fuck, I wanted to tuck you under my wing and fly straight to my hoard. Show you all the things I’d been gathering just for you before I ever even knew they’d be for you. My Dragon knew, though. He’d sensed you, I think. There’s this gold body chain with purple stones. When I’d impulsively stolen it, I couldn’t figure out why at the time.” Cato leans back, taking a strand of my hair in one hand and looking at it, smiling softly. “I think I understand now.”

“You knew I’d have purple hair?” I frown, and Cato chuckles.

“My Dragon sensed that his mate would love the color purple, Moon.”

“Oh,” is all I manage to say, the butterflies in my stomach dancing too fast for me to breathe properly.

“Don’t, for one second, ever doubt my feelings for you. For the chaotic, beautiful woman that you are. Not your womb.” Cato pulls me into his chest, hugging me. “Although I can’t lie, I very much wish to be inside you at all times, but that has everything to do with how badly I want you.”

“Cato…” I say breathlessly, hiding my face against his chest. I can’t hide the flush of my cheeks for long, though, because he pulls back, looking down at me once more, smirking. Dirty Dragon…

“I mean it-”

I cut his words off, by pressing my lips to his and wrapping my arms around his neck. “I believe you,” I whisper between kisses. “I just heard impregnate and panicked. I understand. It can’t be easy, knowing you’re the last of your kind.” I press another kiss to his lips when a thought occurs to me. “Wait, will I lay an egg, or carry a baby in my belly?” My words cause both Cato and Odas to laugh, and I can’t contain my smile. “I’m serious though. Egg, or baby?” I tease, as I take a step back from my Danger Lizard.

“I don’t actually know.” Cato shrugs, as we make our way down the path once more.

“How are Cyclops' babies carried? In the uterus?” I ask Odas. I’m walking between them and can sense how at ease they are with me now. It’s a good feeling to know I comfort them. They comfort me too. Not even the fear of being a mother can change that.

“Yes. We typically don’t have the ability to change into our other form until age one or two.” He’s smiling, like always, but I can hear a hint of sadness in his voice. Reaching down, I take both of their hands, giving them each what I hope is a reassuring squeeze. Sometimes words aren’t needed.

“We have each other now. We’ll be okay.” It’s a promise and one that I will always keep.

“We need to move…” Odas says quietly a few moments later, and when I look over at him, I see that he’s searching the area around us.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, and Odas shakes his head.

“Someone’s close.”

“Run?” I ask, but Cato is already lifting me off my feet, and slinging me over his shoulder. “Seriously?!” I shout, but he’s running fast enough that it sounds like I’m on a bumpy-ass roller coaster.

“I think we need to shift?” Odas suggests.

“Can’t. Don’t wanna be naked in the next trial, or lose our supplies,” Cato says, and I nod. Good point.

“Moon?” Someone shouts, and I recognize the voice right away.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hiss, tapping Cato’s back. “Put me down! That piece of shit can’t hurt us.”

Cato ignores me, though, and keeps running.

“It’s my ex. Put me down.” Cato’s steps falter, but he keeps running.

“Your ex?” His voice is all growly, and I feel an intense heat over my ass, and I push up with my hands on his back and try to look over my shoulder at him.

“Did you just breathe fire?”

“Why do you want to see your ex… He’s not one of your Heart Bonded, or he wouldn’t be an ex,” Cato practically snarls, and I laugh.

“I want to kick his ass while I’m here. Since I’m not legally allowed to kick his ass once we leave the games,” I say honestly, and this makes Cato and Odas both slow down.

“Seriously?” Cato asks, sounding more like he’s smiling now. Clearly, he finds this thought amusing.

“Yes, he thinks it’s okay to get drunk and demand sex from his girlfriends. Kicking in doors and acting all aggressive and shit. He’s a big guy and uses that to intimidate the people he should be kindest to.” Just as Cato’s putting me down, Spencer comes into view, and his girlfriend, looking a little worse for wear, is right behind him.

“Can I barbecue him?” Cato hisses, making me chuckle.

“Uh, guys?” Odas asks, and I turn to glance at him, to make sure he’s okay, intending to jog over and put Spencer in a headlock, but the games have other plans.

“Oh shit—” I start, but my words are cut off by a giant bag scooping us up. Everything goes black, and I can't hear anything. I reach my hands out, trying to feel for Odas and Cato, but all I feel is cloth. Shit.