Page 12

Chapter 12

Andy

I really needed to start working out. At least do some cardio so I had a chance of escaping attackers. Or, you know, hot leopard shifters. Not that I actually wanted to escape in this situation.

But still, the grand staircase was massive , and I was puffing like a steam engine by the time I reached the top. River could have easily caught me, but he was obviously giving me a head start. When I reached the top of the stairs, I glanced back to see River and Zhong step out from the hallway into the open foyer below. Only one of them was people shaped.

And even that one had fangs, horns, wings, and a tail.

River slunk out from behind Zhong, a big, lithe cat, dark as shadows, with just a hint of brown flashing here and there, the leopard spots hidden behind his black fur. His citrine eyes flashed and seemed to glow for a second there as he crouched, his long tail lashing behind him. Then he leapt, landing at least half a dozen steps up the staircase and letting out a tearing growl.

I wasn’t afraid of him. I knew it was all a game. And yet, the primal part of my brain screamed in terror and begged us to run away or call up a spell, ASAP. The cat started jogging up the steps, Zhong following behind with his massive wings outspread and his fangs bared, and I jolted into motion, trying hard not to judge myself for the way my lower belly clenched and the blood rushed to my clit.

I pounded down the hall, not daring to waste any more time looking behind me. Instead of heading for my room, I pelted for the smaller set of spiral stairs at the opposite end of the hall, huffing and puffing my way to the third floor. River’s room was up here, one of the few areas that had been cleaned out in this part of the ridiculously oversized mansion. But I breezed past his door and darted into one of the other rooms instead.

Quietly closing the door behind me, I crept across the gleaming hardwood and toward the closet. It wasn’t dusty in here, thanks to the spells keeping the house preserved for generations of Lovells to enjoy. But it smelled a bit musty all the same—disuse somehow left its mark even without debris. While the clean hardwood and rugs didn’t let me leave any dusty footprints behind, I knew my scent would still lead the big cat right to the closet.

Once I reached the closet, I touched the door handle. Then I cast a shield spell that Dyre said would dull scents and quickly hurried through the other door—which led to a bathroom that was shared with the suite next door. It was a nice arrangement. Probably meant to house guests with children, so the parents could have a space of their own, but keep the kids close by.

Not that I’d ever met any Lovells that liked children enough to keep them close, when I was living here as a child.

I had barely eased the door closed and made my way into the second bedroom before I heard the sound of sneaky footsteps next door. A bang and a growl announced the closet doors opening, and I used the loud moment to dash across the room and out the door into the hallway.

Grinning to myself, I eased the bedroom door shut, turned, and ran right smack into a solid granite wall.

Big hands gripped my upper arms and Zhong’s deep chuckle coiled through me like a caress. “Ah, ah, ah. Where are you going, master?” he purred, his spade-tipped tail lashing behind him.

A low, rumbling growl sounded from right behind me, and I stiffened in instinctual terror. Predator , my instincts screamed. Followed very closely by hot damn.

A ripple of magic washed over me, and River’s arms slid around my waist, his head resting on my shoulder as he purred, “No fair. I wanted to chase her down.”

I shuddered, quickly losing my grip on reality. And my patience for the game.

Zhong chuckled, low and rich, his yellow eyes creasing with amusement. “I don’t think our witch is patient enough for that.”

River sighed. “Too bad.” But his hands splayed over my torso, one covering my soft stomach, while the other slid upward, between my breasts, and came to rest at the base of my throat. “I love hunting down juicy prey.”

I made some kind of weird, strangled sound somewhere between a whine and a moan and pressed back into his body, pressing my ass against his hips—and the impressive erection that waited for me. River purred in appreciation and nuzzled my hair aside so he could clamp down on the side of my neck with his sharp teeth.

Zong sighed, clearly done playing the big baddie. The softie. “You look perfect in his arms,” he told me, releasing my arms to touch my face, to glide his big thumb over my bottom lip. “I knew you would.”

I shuddered when River licked the side of my neck with his rough tongue. “Run,” he murmured against my skin. “If you make it to my room before I catch you, I’ll give you a prize.”

Then he pulled back and gave me a shove, sending me stumbling forward.

I felt lightheaded and a little embarrassed, since I was new to this whole hunting fixation of his… but I could occasionally follow directions. I did as I was told, dashing down the hall as fast as I could without looking back.

I felt River shift back to leopard form, heard the scrabble of claws on the shiny floor, and my heart kicked like an agitated mule in my chest, adrenaline pushing me to run faster. As if I really was in danger.

When really, all I was focused on was that prize he’d promised. Whatever it was, I was certain I wanted it.

My hand reached for the doorknob. A large, warm body crashed into me from behind, teeth grazing the back of my neck through the tangle of my hair. I was pressed up against the door before I could turn the knob, all the wind knocked out of me, making me gasp for air. River’s magic washed over me again, brushing my aura from head to toe, with us in such close proximity, and I was stunned by the way he felt so right.

Jaguar teeth were replaced by soft lips and biting kisses. And the heavy paws against my shoulders became hands, sliding down to my hips, holding me pinned against the door as he ground his rigid dick against my ass, making me gasp—and this time not just for air.

“I win,” he purred in my ear.

I huffed and somehow managed to find my voice through the flurry of adrenaline and lust. “No way. I got to the door before you.”

He chuckled and spun me around to face him, still pressed flush against me—and completely naked thanks to all the shapeshifting. “You didn’t actually make it into the room, witch. But I’m feeling generous. Let’s call it a tie.”

I forgot what we were arguing about when his lips met mine. He tasted like wild magic and effervescent joy. I drank him in, and it felt like some missing puzzle piece just… clicked. River reached around me, the doorknob clicked, and the door vanished from behind me, making me fall backward into the room.

But he was there, catching me with surprising strength and carrying me to the bed. This room was more alive than the other rooms I had been hiding in. River had made it his own, lined every shelf and horizontal surface with books and shiny things he found around the place, hung swaths of fabric and stolen drapes on the walls, and piled his bed full of stolen pillows and soft blankets. When he dropped me onto the bed it was like landing in a nest. One I was pretty sure I wouldn’t want to ever leave.

Zhong stepped into the room behind us and shut the door, his eyes laser-focused on me and River. The shifter was already naked, and it wasn’t long before he and Zhong had me stripped out of my clothes, in between teasing kisses and caresses. When I was fully stripped, Zong leaned over me, his massive upper body pinning me to the bed as he kissed me breathless.

When we came up for air, I quirked a brow at him, running a hand over the t-shirt that was in my way. “Why are you still wearing clothes?”

He chuckled and stood up, one knee still braced on the bed. “Because getting you naked is always top priority,” he said with a grin.

The giant gargoyle froze when River slid his arms around his tapered waist from behind. “That doesn’t seem fair at all ,” the shifter purred. He drew his hands around to Zhong’s back and paused. “May I?”

Zhong was blushing again. The granite look was all a lie. He was really just a walking pile of mush. His first attempt at words made his voice crack, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Yes,” he managed, his voice even deeper than usual, like a rockslide rumbling through me. “Please.”

Zhong had tailored his shirts to have openings in the back for his massive bat wings. Like most of the others, this t-shirt had a couple sets of ties in the back where the fabric was crisscrossed and tied in place. I couldn’t see River at the moment, but I assumed he’d been asking if he could untie Zhong’s shirt. He proved me right a few seconds later when the stretchy fabric loosened, and his hands slid beneath, pushing the shirt off Zhong’s shoulders in a slow caress.

“Great feline mother, you are a work of art,” River murmured as Zhong helped the shirt along and tossed it aside, leaving River’s hands—and mine—free to roam over miles of smooth, perfectly chiseled muscles.

“If you make him blush any harder, he’s going to go up in flames, granite or not,” I commented, pausing to rub my thumb over one of Zhong’s nipples just to make him squirm.

River laughed, and his hands smoothed down Zhong’s sides, coming to rest on the waistband of his pants. “That sounds like a challenge,” he purred. “Okay, big guy?”

Zhong rolled his eyes at our antics and his tail twitched, smacking River in the arm. “I’m not some blushing virgin about to run away in fear,” he ground out. His deep voice dropped to mutter, “Just because I’m not as pushy as everyone else around here, you’d think I was a priest.”

I chuckled along with them, but really, River’s caution and the way he checked in with Zhong was adorable. And appreciated. No matter how hot he might be, I wasn’t going to let anyone disrespect the people I loved. Good thing I apparently didn’t have to worry about that with River.

Zhong removed his big hands from my tits so he could unfasten his fly himself, then he went back to kissing me, slow and sensual and full of love, while River stripped off his pants.

The cat joined us in bed, crawling up to kneel behind where I sat on the edge enjoying my gargoyle. River’s touch was eager and sure, but tender all the same as he reached around to cup my breasts and kiss the side of my neck. His soft hair tickled my cheek and shoulder, and I sighed against Zhong’s lips when River lightly bit down on my neck.

Reaching out, I gripped the massive, rock-hard cock in front of me, my body demanding more. The gargoyle let out a deep moan at my touch, but he didn’t let himself enjoy it for long before he pulled away. “No,” he rumbled, bending to plant a hard kiss on my lips before straightening again. “Not yet.” He glanced from me over my shoulder to where River was kneeling and back again, his yellow eyes glowing with lust. “This is your first time together, isn’t it?”

What an absolute softie. I opened my mouth to tell him just that, but River beat me to it, his warm hand sliding from my breast up to my throat. “So thoughtful and generous,” he purred. “What a gentleman.” He gently gripped just below my jaw and tilted my head back, so I was looking up at him. “But what does our lady witch think about that?”

I swallowed, feeling my throat work against his palm. I didn’t much care who fucked me at the moment, I was tired of games and talking. I needed them. Yesterday.

Apparently, my thoughts showed on my face, because River smirked and his crystalline eyes flashed with his innate magic. “Both?” he asked with a curious head tilt.

“Both,” I breathed. “Immediately.”

He laughed and released me. “As you wish, mistress witch.”

I shook my head at his words and followed his lead when his hands gripped my hips and gently urged me onto all fours on the bed. Zhong didn’t hesitate this time when I beckoned him closer. I gripped his dick, which was so hard I really did wonder if he was turning to stone. I brought it to my mouth and playfully circled the head with my tongue, lapping up a bead of moisture that leaked from the tip. But I was too impatient to play around. Opening wide, I took in as much of him as I could manage, which wasn’t much at all. Then I set to work using my lips, tongue, and hand to touch as much of his massive cock as I possibly could.

One big hand tangled in my hair and Zhong’s chiseled abs flexed as he tried to keep from thrusting forward into my touch. I looked up at him and hummed at the sight, my pussy clenching at the thought that I was the one who put that look on his perfect features. That I was the one who made that big body clench and tremble.

Then I sucked in a breath, momentarily distracted. While I had been attending to Zhong, River had positioned himself below me. I gasped in surprise at the warm, wet drag of his long, rough tongue along my folds. When it hit my clit, I bucked involuntarily and cried out, shuddering at the overwhelming sensation.

“Mmm,” the savage hummed against my thigh. “Delicious.”

I tried my best to focus on Zhong while River lapped at my pussy, his hands gripping my hips, pulling me down against his face in away that made me fear he’d suffocate himself. Eventually, it was all too much and I let him have all my weight—it was River’s fault if he asphyxiated during cunnilingus. When the first orgasm tore through me, I choked on Zhong’s engorged cock and pressed my hips downward, full-on grinding against River’s face.

The shifter didn’t protest.

In fact, when Zhong moved to lift me off River a few minutes later, River growled and clung to me, like an animal protesting the removal of his favorite new toy. But eventually he came to his senses and gave in to Zhong’s greater strength and my whimper of protest, and released me.

River’s eyes really were glowing now as Zong shoved him over and sat on the bed, pulling me with him so I straddled the big gargoyle. The shifter licked his lips and divided a wicked look between me and Zhong. “I was just getting started, why did you go and spoil my fun, gargoyle?”

I huffed and replied before Zhong could, looking over my shoulder at River. “Just getting started? My poor clit almost fell off.”

Both men barked a laugh. Zhong wrapped his big hands around my waist and fitted me closer to him, so I was sitting with his impressive erection laid all along the length of my pussy… and against my wonderfully abused clit. “Apologies,” the gargoyle rumbled. He answered River, but he kept his yellow eyes riveted on mine, the promise there unmistakable. “But if that went on any longer, I was going to explode. And I’d rather do that inside my master while she screams like a wild banshee.”

“I do not wail like a banshee!” I said, giving his broad chest an offended whack for good measure. But we both knew that was a lie.

River crawled up behind me to plant a kiss on my shoulder, his arms coming around my waist above Zhong’s, to caress and knead my breasts. “Pity,” he sighed. “That sounds like something I’d love to see.”

I shook my head at him. There was no shame here. No embarrassment or worry about how he fit with us. River might have his insecurities, just like the rest of us, but clearly sex and intimacy were not among those worries.

Their hands on me reignited the momentarily stoked flames inside me. I rocked against Zhong, enjoying the pressure and friction as two sets of hands roved over my body, making me feel like a goddess. Zhong pulled me into a deep, hungry kiss, and it drove me higher, knowing he was dying to sheath that giant cock inside me and fill me up the way only he could. River’s hands danced over my skin, trailing from my breasts and down my sides, over my hips to the generous swell of my ass.

When we came up for air, Zhong licked his lips, hesitating a second before finding the courage to make his request. “I know it’s the first time you and River have been together like this, but… would you be okay with—”

I took pity on the big softie and finished his sentence for him. “I said I wanted you both, didn’t I?” I murmured, leaning in to catch the pointed tip of his ear between my teeth playfully before I sat up again. Then I looked over my shoulder at River.

Goddess, he was beautiful. All the lean, defined grace and strength of a gymnast. His copper skin seemed to glow in the soft light coming through the window, and his thick black hair seemed made for sinking your fingers into. I followed the matching mat of shiny black hair from his chest downward, over perfect abs and to a long, thick cock, eager for my attention. Mouth watering, I forced my gaze back up to meet his smirking citrine eyes. “Do you mind?” I asked, managing to somehow make my voice sound unconcerned, like we were discussing the weather.

His sensual lips curved up into the smirk to end all smirks. “Do I mind sinking myself into your deliciously round ass while the gargoyle somehow stuffs that granite pillar into you at the same time?” He sighed. “Oh, I suppose I could. If I must.” Then he grew slightly more serious, his hands stroking soothingly over the swell of my hips. “And don’t worry. I’m well versed and well studied in the art of anal play. I’ll take good care of you and make sure it’s good for you.”

I grinned at his playful, easy acceptance, and at his very River response. I was sure he had read every book that existed on the subject of sex, since it was a topic that interested him. And he probably took notes.

“I think we’re good,” I told Zhong with a wink. He seemed to think that River and I would be somehow missing out on something if we didn’t make this into some slow, methodical courtship. But I think River and I were on the same page—simply thrilled to share our bodies however the opportunity presented itself.