Page 39 of Awakened Destiny (The Dark Ascendant #3)

Brigid

Lochan steps forward first, his fingers brushing my collarbone. "The binding is complete," he says, his voice dropping to a husky register that makes my skin tingle. "But the ritual isn't."

"What happens now?" I ask, though something deep inside me already knows the answer.

Tiernan moves behind me, his hands settling on my shoulders. "Now we honor the old ways. The ways shown in those murals."

Callen steps to my side, his fingers finding the first button of my blouse. "The queen must be worshipped," he says with that cocky grin that never fails to make my heart race. "Properly."

I swallow hard as Callen unfastens the first button, then the second. I'm wearing a simple white blouse and a long white skirt—nothing special—but the way they all watch makes me feel like I'm draped in royal finery.

"Is this okay?" Rory asks gently, always the one most concerned with making sure I'm comfortable.

I nod, unable to find my voice as Marius steps behind me, his fingers finding the zipper at the back of my skirt.

"We can stop anytime," Lochan assures me, but I shake my head.

"No," I manage to say. "I want this. I want all of you."

The blouse slips from my shoulders under Callen's skilled fingers, and my skirt pools at my feet with a gentle push from Marius. I stand before them in just my bra and underwear, trembling not from the cold but from the heat of their gazes.

I close my eyes, feeling the last scraps of fabric slipping away. The forest air kisses my bare skin, cool but not cold, as if the sacred grove itself is protecting me. I stand naked now, exposed but not vulnerable—there's a difference I never understood until this moment. I don ’ t fold my arms over my soft belly. I don ’ t try to hide. Not from them.

"Just like the murals," Tiernan whispers.

I open my eyes to find them forming a circle around me, five pairs of eyes reflecting desire, devotion, and something deeper I'm afraid to name. They're fully clothed still, a stark contrast to my nakedness that sends a shiver of anticipation through me.

"The Queen stands bare before her consorts," Callen says, his voice dropping to a lower register that vibrates through my core. "Now we must match her vulnerability with our own."

Lochan is the first to move, pulling his shirt over his head in one fluid motion. His chest is a map of scars and muscle that I want to trace with my fingertips.

"I stand before you as I am," he says simply.

One by one, they disrobe. Tiernan with careful precision. Rory, with a playful wink that makes me laugh despite the heaviness of the moment. Callen with practiced grace, like he's performed this ritual a hundred times. Marius last, his movements deliberate, his eyes never leaving mine as the faded markings covering his body are revealed inch by inch.

"Do you remember what happens in those murals?" Callen asks, stepping closer. "After the chosen one stands surrounded by her consorts?"

My mouth goes dry. "Show me."

They move as one, closing the circle until I'm wrapped in a cocoon of warm skin and gentle hands. Someone's lips press against my shoulder—Rory, I think, by the softness of the touch. Another pair finds my neck—Tiernan, his breath stirring my hair.

"We worship," Marius whispers, his hand sliding down my back, tracing my spine.

I gasp as Lochan's rough palm cups my breast, his thumb circling my nipple until it hardens.

"Is this okay?" he asks, his voice gruff with restraint.

"Yes," I breathe. "Yes."

Callen's hands find my hips, steadying me as my knees threaten to buckle. "Remember to breathe, my queen."

I try to follow his advice, but it's nearly impossible when Tiernan's fingers trail up my inner thigh, making me tremble.

"The murals showed our future," Tiernan says softly. "They showed us this moment."

"They showed us how to please our queen," Marius adds, dropping to his knees before me.

I watch through half-lidded eyes as Marius settles between my legs, his broad shoulders nudging them apart. The sight of him there, looking up at me with those intense eyes, sends a pulse of heat through my core.

"Open for me," he commands softly.

Lochan's fingers slide into my mouth as Marius spreads my legs wider. I suck instinctively, as Marius leans forward and presses his mouth against my center.

"Fuck," I gasp around Lochan's fingers.

The sensation is overwhelming—Lochan's fingers in my mouth, Marius's tongue against my cunt, Callen and Rory each claiming a breast, Tiernan's hands roaming everywhere else. I'm touched everywhere at once, my body no longer my own but belonging to all of them, to this moment, to this ritual that feels as old as time.

My hands find purchase wherever they can, Callen's shoulder, Rory's hair, as a surge of pure ecstasy ripples through me. I want to speak, to tell them how good it feels, but Lochan's fingers prevent anything more than muffled moans.

"Just feel," Tiernan whispers in my ear. "Let go."

And I do.

I let myself fall into the sensation, my body arching as Marius ’ tongue works me with a precision that leaves me breathless. His hands grip my thighs, holding me steady as he devours me, each flick and stroke sending jolts of pleasure up my spine. My fingers tighten in Rory ’ s hair, and he groans softly against my breast, his teeth grazing my nipple in a way that makes me shudder.

Lochan ’ s fingers slip from my mouth, and I gasp for air, only to have Tiernan ’ s lips claim mine in a searing kiss. His tongue tangles with mine, hot and insistent, as Callen ’ s hands glide down my sides, tracing the curve of my waist before settling on my hips. He pulls me back against him, and I feel the hard length of him pressing against my lower back.

“ You ’ re ours now,” Tiernan murmurs against my lips. “ Our queen.”

Marius pulls away from me just long enough to look up, his mouth glistening. “ And we are yours,” he says, his voice low and rough. Then he ’ s on me again, his tongue delving deeper, his fingers sliding into me to match the rhythm of his mouth.

I cry out, my head falling back against Callen ’ s shoulder as the sensations overwhelm me. My legs tremble, but Callen ’ s hands on my hips keep me upright, his body a solid anchor against the tide of pleasure threatening to pull me under. Rory ’ s mouth leaves my breast, trailing hot kisses up my neck until he finds my ear, nipping gently before whispering, “ Let go, Brigid. Let us take care of you.”

I want to respond, to tell them how good they ’ re making me feel, but words fail me. All I can do is moan, my voice breaking as Marius pushes two fingers into me, curling them inside me, hitting a spot that sends sparks behind my eyelids. Tiernan ’ s hands glide down my arms, intertwining our fingers as he holds me steady, his breath warm against my cheek.

“ She ’ s close,” Marius growls, his voice muffled against me. “ I can feel it.”

Lochan steps closer, his chest brushing against my back as he leans in to kiss the curve of my shoulder. “ Come for us, Brigid,” he murmurs, his voice rough with desire. “ Let us see you fall apart.”

The command in his voice is all it takes. My body tightens, every muscle coiling as the pressure builds and builds until it shatters.

I surrender, my body going limp as waves of pleasure crash through me. The grove spins around me, the sacred space becoming a blur of sensation and light.

"I've got you," Rory says, his strong arms catching me before I fall.

I'm weightless suddenly, cradled against Rory's broad chest like something precious. His warmth surrounds me, skin to skin, and I nestle into him, feeling safe and wanted in ways I never knew were possible. The familiar scent of him—pine and earth and something distinctly male—fills my lungs as I catch my breath.

"Look at her," Callen says, his voice filled with reverence as he moves closer. "She's fucking perfect."

His fingers find my breasts, teasing my nipples into tight peaks. I gasp, oversensitive yet craving more. The contradiction makes me dizzy.

"You're ours now," Callen continues, pinching lightly, sending sparks of electricity through my body. "All ours."

Tiernan approaches, his movements deliberate and measured, at odds with the heat in his green eyes. He slides his hand between my thighs, where I'm still slick and swollen.

"May I?" he asks, fingers hovering just above where I need them most.

"Yes," I manage.

His touch is different from Marius's—more controlled, more calculating. He circles my clit with practiced precision, watching my face for reactions, adjusting his pressure and speed based on the sounds I make. It's almost clinical, but the hunger in his eyes gives him away.

"The moss," Lochan says from somewhere beside us. "Lay her down there."

Rory carries me to the center of the grove, where the ground is carpeted with thick, soft moss. He lowers me gently, arranging my limbs with care, his hands lingering on my thighs as he parts them.

"What do you need, Brigid?" Marius asks, kneeling beside me, his frame blocking out the dappled sunlight. "Tell us."

I know what I want. The images flash through my mind: bodies intertwined, giving and taking pleasure without shame or hesitation.

"I want all of you," I say, finding my voice at last. "Inside me."

Lochan inhales sharply. "Are you sure?"

I reach for him, pulling him down for a kiss. "I've never been more sure of anything."

I lie back, opening myself to them completely. The five men exchange glances, some unspoken communication passing between them before Tiernan steps forward first.

"I'll prepare her," he says, his voice thick.

He kneels between my legs, lowering his mouth to me. I feel his fingers join his tongue, stretching me gently, preparing me for what's to come.

"Who do you want first?" Callen asks, stroking himself as he watches Tiernan work. His cock is hard and huge, and I shudder in anticipation.

I scan their faces, each beautiful and different, each belonging to a man who has pledged himself to me. My gaze settles on Lochan.

"Lochan," I say.

He moves forward, replacing Tiernan between my thighs. His hands shake slightly as he positions himself at my entrance, his eyes locked with mine.

"I'll be gentle," he says.

"Don't be," I counter. "I won't break and we both know that ’ s not you."

Something primal flares in his eyes, and he pushes into me in one smooth thrust, bottoming out. I cry out, my back arching off the moss as he fills me completely. He doesn ’ t give me a chance to adjust to his size, before he pulls back and thrusts into me again, right to the hilt.

He begins to move, setting a rhythm that has me clawing at his shoulders. The others gather around us, touching whatever parts of me they can reach. Rory cradles my head in his lap, Callen and Tiernan each claim a breast, and Marius strokes my clit as Lochan drives into me.

"Fuck, she feels amazing," Lochan groans, his pace quickening. "I can't—I'm going to—"

"Inside her," Rory urges. "That's what she wants."

Lochan's movements become erratic, his breathing harsh. With a final thrust, he buries himself deep, his release hot and pulsing. I gasp at the sensation, my inner walls clenching around him.

He withdraws slowly, then kisses my inner thighs, before Rory takes his place. Where Lochan was intense and passionate, Rory is gentle but thorough, his large hands gripping my hips as he rocks into me.

"So beautiful," he murmurs, his eyes never leaving mine. "Our queen."

He lasts longer than Lochan, his stamina impressive, but eventually he too succumbs, adding his seed to Lochan's. I feel fuller now, liquid warmth spreading inside me.

Tiernan is next, his approach methodical. He flips me onto my stomach, lifting my hips before entering me from behind. The new angle hits spots inside me that make my vision blur. His fingers dig into my flesh, marking me, claiming me.

"Is this good?" he asks, his voice strained with the effort of maintaining control.

"Yes," I pant into the moss. "Don't stop."

He doesn't, not until he's spending himself inside me with a guttural moan.

Callen follows, turning me onto my back again, hooking my legs over his shoulders. His usual playfulness is gone, replaced by a focused intensity that makes my heart race.

"Watch me," he commands. "I want to see your eyes when I come inside you."

I obey, holding his gaze as he thrusts hard and deep, his face contorting in pleasure as he adds to the growing fullness inside me.

Marius is last, his massive frame dwarfing mine as he settles between my thighs.

"Are you okay?" he checks, his voice a deep rumble. "We can stop if you need to."

"No," I say, reaching for him. "Please, Marius. I need you too."

He enters me slowly, careful despite his size. I'm slick with the combined releases of the others, making his passage easier. He moves with surprising tenderness, his powerful body held in check as he brings me to the edge once more.

"Come with me," he whispers against my neck. "One more time, Brigid."

His hand slides between us, finding my clit, circling it in time with his thrusts. The dual stimulation pushes me over, and I shatter around him, my release triggering his own. He groans, spilling inside me, adding the final seal to our bond.

I lie there afterward, surrounded by my mates, feeling their combined essence inside me. I've never felt so full, so complete, so utterly claimed.

After a lifetime of feeling like I didn ’ t belong to anyone, I now belong to these five incredible men.

And they belong to me.

Forever.