Page 38 of Fated In Forever (Nocturne Vampire Clan #4)

EVANGELINE

I stopped dead in the doorway of my bedroom—transformed back to museum quality condition—heart racing as I took in the table set with fine crystal and overflowing dishes, Riordan tipped back in a chair, his handsome face framed by tousled hair and lit up by an indecent grin.

“Go ahead in, he’s not going to bite,” Blake nudged me forward, then closed the door and locked it behind him. “We’ve missed you, mate, and thought some alone time was what we all needed. But first, you have to eat.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m not in a biting mood tonight, my friend.” Riordan offered me a glass of wine and a gleaming white smile. “But Blake is right. You must eat, Evangeline, you are far too pale for my liking.”

I clenched my hands into fists, eyeing the wine glass, the two chairs at the table.

“I’m not safe to be around. You both know that.”

Blake shouldered past, took the glass from Riordan and stopped in front of me, his expression as serious as I’d ever seen.

“From everything I’ve seen today, you’re safe enough for us.

You locked down your power, Evie, I’ve touched you plenty, and look,” he spread his arms wide.

“I didn’t even turn to stone. Now stop worrying, and enjoy the dinner Riordan made for us. ”

I carefully lifted the glass from Blake’s hand, wincing when my fingers brushed over his, even though we had touched—several times—in the past few hours.

“You cooked us dinner?” I peered at the table, steam wafting up from the beautifully prepared steak and potatoes and green beans. “You?”

“I might be king, but I’m not fucking helpless,” he grumbled. “I do possess certain skills.”

“Riordan loves to cook, actually.” Blake reached around me and tossed a bean up in the air, deftly catching it in his mouth. “he’s practically domesticated and everything .”

“Haha.” I muttered, but I went warm and gooey at the thought of him cooking for me—for us—slaving over those steaks until everything was perfect.

Something inside of me relaxed. Despite the fact we were at war, despite everything, Rohr had gone to great lengths to make sure this dinner was perfect, each plate arranged like a work of art, and the food smelled amazing.

“Sit down and dig in, because I’m starving and it’s not polite to start until you do.

” My mate said impatiently, herding me to the table and pulling out a chair.

“There’s chocolate cake for dessert, so save room,” he whispered, leaning close as he spread the napkin across my lap.

“And after, if you’re still hungry, we have another surprise. ”

These two perfect males had known what I needed, even when I didn’t.

Ever since I’d returned from the Underworld, I’d been exhausted, stripped to the bone from fear and failure, doubting every decision.

They knew I needed a quiet night alone, filled with good food and laughter, cut off from the chaos that swirled around us. They pampered me for hours, waited on me hand and foot and now I was relaxed in my chair, stomach full, a little drunk, and happy.

“So.” Blake’s eyes were dark as night. “If you had one wish, what would it be? And before you answer, you can wish for anything, anywhere. A billion dollars, an island in the middle of the ocean…anything.”

I ran my finger around the rim of my empty glass, trying to concentrate over my warm, comfortable wine buzz. I wanted so many things, all of them so far out of reach, it seemed like I would jinx myself by speaking any of them aloud.

But…being in Ireland, around Aisling and her males, in this beautiful, fairytale castle, had gotten me thinking.

“When Angel and I were with mom, we had to move every few months.” My voice was soft, hesitant, the memories still so sharp, still edged with fear.

“It wasn’t safe, staying in the same place for long.

We never had friends, we never got settled anywhere.

We never…belonged. And during those years, every night, we would wish for such grand things.

Mom always called them our ‘ castles in the air’ dreams. Dreams so far out of reach, they could never come true. ”

“Why out of reach?” Blake asked softly, his eyes burning with curiosity as he brushed the back of my hand. “Your life had to be difficult. Why not wish for things you needed?”

I pulled in a trembling breath. “I think big dreams—castle in the air dreams—are safe, because on some level, they’re so unattainable, you’re never disappointed when they don’t come true. You can’t really fail, because they were never going to happen in the first place.”

I couldn’t tell them that small dreams are even scarier, because when you wish for something within your reach and it never happens, those are the failures that break you. The missed opportunities, the mistakes you can’t fix, like what happened between mom and Silas.

Riordan leaned in, hands clasped between his knees, his sharp gaze burning clear to my soul. “What kinds of dreams did you have, Evangeline?”

“Well, Angel, of course, wanted her own library. Something with multiple levels and every book in the world and rolling ladders and big, comfy chairs. Oh, and those green lamps you see in all the pictures.”

“I didn’t ask about your sister,” Riordan’s expression softened. “I asked about you. What did you wish for, Evangeline?” I glanced at Blake, watching me with the same kind of penetrating intensity, as if his next breath hung on my answer.

“This might seem silly, since you both grew up in a place you call home. You probably had bedrooms with…I don’t know, bedrooms decorated just for you, with swords and posters and matching comforters.

Breakfast every morning, and birthday parties.

Gardens and backyards and driveways. I never had any of that.

” I dragged my finger along the edge of the table, trying to figure out how to put years of yearning into words.

“I just wanted a home. Somewhere I never had to leave, that nobody could chase me away from. A house that was loved and lived in and welcoming. A place that felt like this castle.” I gazed around the quiet, comfortable room, then shrugged.

“I know how that sounds, but that’s all I ever really ever wanted. Everything else just feels…secondary. ”

The next thing I knew, Riordan was on his knees before me, palms on my cheeks, kissing me like he never wanted to stop, like he meant for this to go on forever, his tongue gliding along mine, devouring my little needy moans, my fingers digging into the back of his neck to draw him closer.

The kiss wrecked me.

It was giving and taking at the same time, like Rohr was pouring everything of himself into his lips, into the tender way his thumb stroked my cheek, into every hot, needy breath he spilled into my mouth and over my throat as he devoured me.

With a groan, Rohr pulled away, “Now. About that surprise. We can call this second dessert, if you’d like.

” His gaze slid over to the bed and everything inside me tightened when Blake pushed to his feet in one powerful move, lifted me out of the chair and carried me over, dumping me unceremoniously on the mattress.

“Hey, I never agreed…” My protest cut off with a hiss of delight when warm, nibbling lips found the bared band of skin between the bottom of my shirt and the top of my jeans and then I was being undressed by two very determined males, who were in some sort of race to get me naked.

You’re goddamned right we’re in a race. As soon as you’re naked, I’m putting my mouth on you and then I’m going to make love to you.

Blake’s fingers slid between my thighs and stroked, my nerve endings singing as he plunged two fingers into my soaking wet core.

Then I went into overload when Rohr’s mouth closed over my breast, his fingers skating leisurely down my side.

Something heated wrapped around my ankles, Riordan using his fire to pull my legs wide as Blake settled between them, pressing my pussy apart, eyes darkening to midnight, the longer he looked. Heat crawled up my neck, settling into my cheeks and still…he just…stared.

“So fucking beautiful. So pretty and pink and wet for us.”

I tried closing my legs together, tried to push my body up from the bed, but Rohr just chuckled, his flames capturing my wrists and stretching my arms up over my head, until I couldn’t move at all and then there was nothing but the friction of Blake’s demanding mouth on my silky flesh, eating me like a male possessed, growling and grunting, fingers denting my thighs as he fought to get deeper, shoulders pressing me wider.

You should see yourself , Rohr said into my head.

Stretched out like a pagan offering, open for us to plunder, any way we want.

Your mate is undone. His magic pulled harder at my ankles, holding me open, my hips protesting the strain.

I want to see your pretty pink lips wrapped around my cock tonight, would you do that for me, Evangeline?

Will you let me fill up your mouth? Will you take every drop I give you?

I shivered from the filthy picture he painted inside my head, my sensitive skin prickling. Yes. My body was heavy and light, a waiting orgasm already building, ready to explode, but I needed more, I needed one of them to touch me, to rub my clit, to…

You’ll get what you want, my queen, but Blake needs to glut himself on you, first. He has to claim you as his, to soothe his animal side. He thought he lost you. There was a long, dark pause. We both did.

I’m right here. I lifted my heavy eyelids to find Riordan looming over the bed, stroking himself, watching me with pupils blown so wide there wasn’t a hint of navy blue.

I sank my teeth into my bottom lip and tasted blood, and he moved so fast he was a blur, mouth on mine, cleaning off every last drop.

Then he pulled away, Blake rocking back on his heels, licking his glistening lips, both of them looking slightly dazed.

“Up on all fours, mate, facing Rohr, beautiful ass up in the air for me to play with.” I obeyed, settling my elbows on the edge of the bed while Blake climbed behind me, smoothing his rough palm down my spine, hissing as he explored every bump of my vertebrae.

“You need to eat more, Evangeline.” he scolded gently.

“We should be taking better care of you.”

I would have argued, but he was already right there , already pushing inside, his cock gliding through my swollen pussy, grunting with every inch he gained, my core stretching to accommodate his girth as he buried himself to the hilt. “Fuck, you’re so tight. So fucking hot and wet. I could…”

My mate let out a needy groan that curled my toes, withdrawing only to slam home again, harder this time, his mouth closing over the nape of my neck, fangs digging in, sawing his huge cock in and out of my cunt like he couldn’t stop.

This was wild, uncontrolled, an eruption of friction and pressure and pleasure that cleaved me in half.

“Look at me.” Riordan was there, feet braced wide, stroking his cock before pressing the soft head against my lips.

“Fuck yes,” he muttered. “Just like that.” I opened wide, let him slide home, let him feed the full length of that gloriously veined cock into my mouth, tilting my head back so he could fill my throat.

“That’s it,” Rohr’s eyes were so wide the whites shone around his irises, one hand gripping my hair as he slowly fucked my mouth, tugging against my scalp. “That’s my good girl, taking me so deep, so well. You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Blake picked up the pace, his mouth moving to my shoulder and biting down, like some primal urge had taken over and he was nothing but instinct and lust, fucking me fast and hard, wet, sloppy sounds filling the room as Riordan slid in and out between my lips, coating them with heat and his salty taste before burying himself deep in my throat and holding me there, eyes burning like coals.

“That’s it, my queen, look at you, taking all of me.

” His cock jerked, and I swallowed on instinct, loving how his groan rolled through me like a thunderstorm, how his beautiful body trembled, the way those long shudders traveled up his torso, tattoos dancing.

Then those flashing eyes found me again, pinning me down with an intensity that only fanned the restless ache inside me.

You are my world, Evangeline, my everything. You consume my every waking moment, and I dream of you every night. You make me feel alive, and I know I can never live without you, not for a moment. I know I would never want to.

Every word tumbled through my head in a chaotic rush, as if Rohr wouldn’t keep them to himself any longer, as if he’d kept them to himself for too long, and a long, slow shiver of pleasure rocked through me, this one building to a towering, cresting wave, and I closed my eyes, waiting for all that power to crash down and break me.

“My beautiful queen,” Riordan whispered, dragging his thumb down my cheek. “My beautiful, beautiful queen.” Then he was spilling down my throat, and I was swamped with the taste of him, with the fiery power only he possessed.

I was so deeply branded with the essence of both of them, their ownership stamped on my soul, and like the helpless words Riordan had spilled into my mind, I knew that ownership went both ways, that we belonged to each other, as completely as three people could.

“I’m so fucking close,” Blake hissed and my body tightened, his thighs hot and hard against my ass, his cock bigger, thicker, more demanding, working me with every ruthless thrust. Then he reached down and stroked my clit, a vicious, fast tempo that sent me plummeting over the edge.

This orgasm wasn’t an explosion, it was a promise.

A contract written in sweat and curses and tiny, helpless noises that was every bit as binding as a blood oath.

We were meant for each other.

And somehow, in this cruel world, we were here, now, sharing this perfect moment, and as I fell apart, I would not have wanted to be anywhere else. But despite my joy, a small, empty part of my soul peered into the shadows, searching for a pair of amber eyes that were not there.