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Zandren gave him a disgusted look. “That was your cum too, you weird fucking pyro. I’m not gonna eat your cum. Fuck right off.”

Maxar merely shrugged. “You’re so testy.” He jerked his chin at the door. “Be a good little Paddington and grab our queen some water.”

Zandren growled at the mage, but ultimately followed orders, stalking off to the kitchen and returning a moment later with a glass bottle. I chugged it greedily, my eyelids barely able to stay open as I drank.

“You need to rest, Little One,” Zandren said.

I nodded, licked my lips, and set the water bottle down on the nightstand before snuggling deep into the bed. It was too hot for covers, but the pillows were surprisingly comfortable.

My eyelids had anvils on them, but the change in air pressure and the soft vibrations of the ground told me my mates were on their way out.

“Don’t go,” I murmured, reaching out with one hand and turning onto my side. “Please.”

“Who?” Maxar asked, his tone guarded.

I blinked open my eyes and pinned my gaze on their curious faces. “Both of you. After what we just shared, I think you two can handle sleeping in a bed with me.”

They exchanged reluctant glances with each other, but then like marionettes being manipulated by the same puppet master, they shrugged opposite shoulders and made their way back toward me. Each of them climbed onto a different side of the bed, snuggling up with me. I was the little spoon with Zandren and the big spoon with Maxar. It was warm in our little sandwich, but I loved it.

“Ahh,” I sighed, snuggling in deeper. “This is the perfect post-threesome cuddle.”

Zandren made a noise of mild discontent behind me while Maxar chuckled.

“Tomorrow, we work on psychological warfare.”

“Okay, Little One,” Zandren said, kissing the spot behind my ear. “Whatever you say.”

I wiggled my butt against his pelvis and yawned. “I love you both.”

“I love you, My Queen,” Maxar said, tightening his grip on the hand I had draped over his torso.

“Love you, Little One,” Zandren said, kissing my shoulder. “Now sleep. You’re safe here.”

And he was right. Sandwiched between my mage and my bear, I’d never felt more love, or safer in all my life. It just made me wonder what it would be like to be mate-bonded with all three of them, and how much safer and loved I would feel with Drak in the bed too.

If he would only let me in. This could be the most formidable, powerful foursome in the Realm if he wasn’t so stubborn and secretive.

Maybe tomorrow I needed to take off the gloves and go digging in his brain? Enough was enough. No more secrets. This queen was tired of them.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Drak

The agony that consumed my body while Omaera was “busy” with the mage and bear was almost more than I could take. I ended up falling asleep on the bathroom floor after vomiting every ounce of my dinner. The Fates wouldn’t allow forced mating, and yet, they had a very sadistic way of “encouraging” me to mate.

Tell her the truth.

I ignored that voice in my head. Omaera needed to want to mate me because she wanted to mate me, not for any other reason. Otherwise, I’d forever wonder if she somehow “forced” herself to acquiesce in order to save me the pain. She was a powerful demon whose powers we still didn’t fully understand. If anybody could bend the Fates and the centuries-old magic, it was the new queen.

I woke the next morning with an unbridled headache surging through my brain. I thought for sure that meant Omaera and her bonded mates were back at it, but when I finally opened my eyes, I found my mate standing over me with her hands on her hips and a deep glare in her green eyes.

“Get up, Fangs. We have work to do.”

I blinked up at her a few times and she sent a sharp jab into the front of my mind making me cry out in pain and wince.

“Why are you on the bathroom floor?” she asked, irritation still in her voice.

“I … I was ill.” I hedged a one-eyed glance at her and her expression softened instantly.