Page 35

Whoever said demons were shitty lovers are fucking liars.

The twins and I have been mated for almost a week now, and do you want to guess how many nights they slept in their own beds?

None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

And they’ve thoroughly exhausted me each and every night, much to Aero’s dismay. My poor Pegasus has taken to sleeping on the couch in the living room because he wants no part in what we get up to behind closed doors.

Not that I’d want him there. That’s just plain weird, even if he is an extension of my soul.

My missing vampire mate got back from his business trip in the early hours of the morning, but that didn’t stop him from being at the academy the moment the bell rang to whisk me away to my house in Mancer’s Bend for the weekend.

The scenery whipping past the window is a familiar sight as Axel’s sports car glides through traffic, expertly weaving between slower vehicles. My demon mates aren’t far behind us, their SUV keeping up with the faster pace easily.

This weekend will be the first time all four of my mates are cohabitating in the same bedroom altogether. Neither Luka and Axel nor Zane and Bane want to be separated from me, not that I blame them. I’ve been hella spoiled by the twins, waking up between their two hot bodies every morning.

I know it’s not easy for Axel and Luka or is it fair since they’re limited to how much time they can spend in my dorm, unless under extenuating circumstances. So we have to cherish the time we do get.

As it is, the twins almost didn’t get an invitation to join us inside my house. They would have been regulated back to their bodyguard positions if they didn’t agree to let me sleep between Luka and Axel this weekend. It worked like a charm, even if I almost caved at the sight of my incubus’ pouty face.

My demi-god, though MIA right now, will be teleporting in as soon as he finishes his duties in the library. I’m still not fully sure why he even works there. It’s not like he needs the money, and he grumbles about the shitty students he has to deal with enough. But knowing he’s nearby, even if I don’t get to see him, soothes the screaming part of my soul in his absence.

Rolling through the gate, I’m once again left dumbstruck by the sheer size of the estate my birth parents left me. I still haven’t taken the time to learn more about the two who birthed me, which is a huge error on my part. I’m dying to know what it was they did for a living to leave me such a large inheritance. I also want to learn about them . What they did for the community to where someone like Axel’s dad held them in a high enough regard to keep my existence a secret.

There’s one person I know that may have all the answers, and I’ve been meaning to call her, I just really haven’t gotten the chance to. But Olga has never been too far from my mind, even if it’s been months since I last saw her.

The old lady, more than anyone, should know what I’m going through, having lived through the genocide. I don’t see why she wouldn’t forgive me.

My mates filter inside, taking our bags with them and leaving me alone on the front porch for a moment to breathe in the approaching autumn air. Out here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s more noticeable that the season’s on the verge of a shift.

“You okay, pinky?” Zane asks, his strong arms wrapping around my shoulders as he rests his chin on my head.

“Yeah. Just taking it all in, you know? There’s an old human saying. It says, take the time to stop and smell the roses. So that’s what I’m doing.”

He hums, the sound vibrating through my body. “I like that. It’s a way of telling you to slow down and enjoy the moment.”

“Exactly.” I turn my head and peek up at him with a smile. “Who knew sex demons were so insightful?”

“I’ll show you insightful.”

“You’ll have to show her your sights another time because I’m stealing her from you.”

“Lu!” I squeal, breaking away from Zane. I run and jump into his arms, my legs coiling around his waist.

“Did you miss me, goddess?”

“Of course.” I pepper his face with kisses, giggling as his lips chase mine.

“Good, because I missed you, too. Now I’m taking you inside because there’s another guest here and it’s rude to leave them hanging without being greeted by the host.”

Another guest?

Who the heck did they invite, and why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?

Luka keeps me against his chest as he passes over the threshold, heading in the direction of the kitchen. Before he disappears around the corner, Zane comes into the house, but then he pauses and doesn’t move. He gets a vacant look in his eyes, and his lips start moving.

What the…

But then he’s gone from my sight before I can question it, and Luka tosses me down on the sofa with a bounce.

“Hey, sunshine.” I stiffen at the sound of his voice, slowly turning my head in his direction.

He’s here. In my house.

Thaddeus Winterton the Third.

The winter fae I kissed and then ran away from.

The very same one I’ve always had some sense of feelings for, but I pushed them away because he had a girlfriend.

Now he’s single, and I’ll be nothing but a rebound to him on his way to finding someone better.

And here I thought this was going to be a fun weekend.

In the words of Zane—Lucifer’s balls, this is going to be a disaster.

“Oh. H-hey, Thaddeus.” I clear my throat. “What are you doing here?”

Axel’s hands come down my shoulders, his thumbs expertly digging into the muscles. “I invited him, cor meum . It’s been a while since the wards were redone on the estate, and Thaddeus is the fae for the job.”

“Y-y-yeah,” Thaddeus trips over his words. “I’ll do the words—wards. The wards. And I’ll set it up to where only you and your m-mates can give people access to the estate. Unless you don’t want that. I can head back to the academy.” He throws his thumb over his shoulder, already turning around before I can even give him an answer.

Luka snorts from his spot next to me. “Real smooth, fae.”

I shoot Luka a glare; rude much?

Thaddeus shoves his hands in his pockets, his shoulders slumped as he walks away dejected.

Fuck. I…I really don’t want him to go. He and I were friends while he was dating Miss Izzicle, and I can’t deny how much I’ve missed that friendship since the gala. I thought we were getting back to that, but then the kiss happened, and I’ve been avoiding him since.

“Thaddeus, wait.” He tenses, his shoulders shooting up to his ears. “Thank you. I would really appreciate it if you can go over the wards.”

He peeks back at me, a small smile flitting on his face. “Really?”

“Yeah.” I smile back, happy with my decision. “And you can do it for all my mates. They can come and go from here as they please.”

“That’s a good choice.”

“And Thaddy?” His smile grows even bigger with the use of his nickname.

“Yeah, sunshine?”

“Make sure you add yourself in, too.”

His smile falters, and he looks between all of my mates—my demons appearing sometime during our conversation. “Are you sure? I’m not…” he trails off.

“I’m sure.”

“Fantastic,” my vampire murmurs, removing his suit jacket and laying it over the back of the couch. Swaths of pale skin appear next with every fold of his sleeves. Damn, vampy has some sexy forearms. “We’ll start dinner, cor meum , while you and Thaddeus start on the wards.”

My thoughts screech to a halt.

Well damn. Awkward much?

I don’t know why but it feels suspiciously like Axel is trying to achieve something by sending us away together.

“It’ll only take about an hour, Bailey, and a drop of your blood to set them. Same with everyone else who will have access to them,” Thaddeus interjects before I can come up with an excuse not to be alone with him.

It’s one thing to want him here, and it’s a complete other to spend time with him. Alone.

Luka takes the initiative and shoos us out the front door, slamming it closed behind us.

Okay, so I guess we’re doing this.

* * *

Aero snores loudly with his head on my lap a few hours after dinner and just looking at my sleeping Pegasus makes me realize how tired I am, too.

My mates and Thaddeus have been playing a card game for the past twenty minutes, and all five of them are laughing, ribbing each other over something or another.

I can’t deny how well Thaddeus fits in with my merry band of mate misfits. He takes their joking and gives it right back ten-fold. The decision I made earlier was the right one. Letting him attach himself to the wards too.

Even if all we have is friendship and nothing more—because let’s be real, why the hell would he want to share a chosen mate with four other men—he definitely belongs here, with us.

But I’m getting ahead of myself in the chosen mate department.

It was one kiss, nothing more. And that’s because I’m a chicken shit, too afraid to be a rebound from his relationship with Miss Izzicle. Plus, I can only imagine what people would say if they found out.

Not that it should matter. But in Stonewell Academy? Of course it matters. Even if nothing happened between us until months after she was forcibly sent back to Faerie.

But I digress.

I hope Thaddeus decides to use the open invitation to my home and join us more when we’re here.

When we were setting the wards, neither one of us brought up the elephant in the room. He made me smile, laugh, and taught me how to check the levels of the ward so I can top them up if need be.

All in all, it was actually pretty damn great.

“Well, I should be going.” Thaddeus pushes his chair back at the dining table and climbs to his feet.

“Awww. Come on, blue man.” Zane tosses his cards on the table. “I know you have more of those super special Fae berries to lose in your pocket dimension.”

“You’re right. I do have more, but if I lose them all now, what am I going to play with next time?”

I perk up at the thought of next time. It sounds pretty damn good coming from his lips.

“Good point, see ya,” Zane mutters, picking his cards back up with a huff, discarding two and picking up two more.

The rest of my guys chorus their goodbyes before resuming their game.

“Walk me to the door, sunshine?”

“Sure. Aero, move your fat head.” I shove him a little to get him moving, but the little jerk nips my hand before finally lifting his head for me to slide out from under.

“You okay?” Thaddeus snags my hand, rubbing the frozen tip of his finger over the red mark Aero’s nibble left behind. The cold makes goosebumps pop up on my skin and a shiver trails down my spine.

“Yeah. Thank you.”

Thaddeus grips my hand when I try to pull away, and he tucks it in the crook of his elbow before leading me in the direction of the front door.

“I had a fun night, and you have four great mates. The demons are a little… interesting outside of class, but they seem to care about you a lot.” I smile, a blush staining my cheeks.

“Thanks. They make me happy…”

“But?” Thaddeus stops, releases my hand, and grips my shoulders, turning me toward him. “Why do I feel a but coming? Are they different when no one’s around? My offer is still open to send them all to winter in Faerie.”

I chuckle, though inside, I wish that’s all it was. A trip to the winter lands would surely straighten any man out.

“But,” I drag out the word. “I don’t know.” I rub my knuckles over my sternum, trying to soothe the ache. “I still feel like something’s…missing.”

“Ahh.” Thaddy nods like that explains it all. “It’s the mate itch. A single person with more than one mate, unbonded fated mate, I should say, will feel unsettled until they have all of their mates. When you bond with the final one, that itch will go away.”

“What if I don’t find them all, or I choose not to mate with one of them?” I wring my hands together, worried about the outcome since my feelings toward a certain Lycan are more loathing than I want to bone and bond you.

“Fate,” Thaddeus murmurs, a reverence in his tone, “is a fickle thing. In the end, what’s meant to be, will be. There’s a saying, Fate will always find a way. Same thing.”

Fate will always find a way. Never have more truer words been spoken.

“Thanks, Thaddy.”

“No problem, sunshine.” He clears his throat, adopting a more serious look on his blue face. “I know you don’t want to talk about what happened, but I hope you’ll let me explain some things that you’re unaware of. It might change how you feel.”

“I…”

“Just think about it. Either way, I’ll always be here for you.” Thaddeus leans in, planting a cool, sweet kiss on my cheek. “Sleep well, sunshine.”

“Night, Thaddy.”

I’m still standing there long after he stepped through a portal back to Stonewell, my fingers brushing the tingle his lips left behind, and his words echoing in my head.

Fate will always find a way.