Page 16 of Reign of The Beast (Immortal Passions #2)

16

~Ryker~

A smile spread over my face as I opened my eyes.

Last night had been a fucking revelation for us all.

The intention had been for Lucian and Mia to bond with each other.

And that had happened much quicker than any of us had anticipated.

I’d felt it snap into place before he’d even touched her and taken her in that all-encompassing, powerful way of his. Jaxon must have felt it just as I had, with him being her mate. Their bond was growing stronger then, if he could already feel significant shifts in her. I could with Lucian, because of the bond we’d been establishing for months, so much so that we could mind-link too from time to time.

And then things had evolved beyond what I’d hoped, all four of us coming together, finally dropping our reservations and inhibitions, and connecting as one.

It meant it wouldn’t be long at all now.

We could form the Covenant.

I wouldn’t have to hold things together much longer.

We would have the means to beat Draco back .

Finally.

I made a move to stretch my arms out and crack my neck, only to find that I couldn’t because of heavy resistance.

I looked down to see that Lucian and Jaxon were sandwiching me in on Mia’s bed, Lucian nestled against my chest with a leg thrown over two of mine, and Jaxon tight to my back, his arm draped over my thigh. They were keeping me warm without the need of the covers.

Mia was the only one beneath them. She was tucked up tightly, the way we’d left her after she’d passed out from pleasure last night.

Jaxon stirred against me.

In the next moment, I felt his cock harden.

I jolted as he nestled it between my ass cheeks.

He nipped at my earlobe, sending a spike of pleasure through me.

Rolling his hips, his cock slid up and down, making me groan as I felt the building friction on my hole.

“Once wasn’t enough, lovely,” his raspy voice whispered at my ear.

“He is truly addictive,” Lucian spoke, startling me.

I looked to see his eyes hooded, enjoying me being tended to.

He gestured to Mia. “She needs her sleep. If you will assist.”

Knowing his meaning, I flicked my hand, my green fire sweeping over the three of us, teleporting us to mine and Lucian’s bed.

We materialized in the same positions.

Lucian didn’t waste any time, wrapping his hand around my cock and beginning to fondle me in that delectable way that I liked, twisting his hand sharply every now and then, driving me crazy .

I threw my head back, giving into the pleasure.

Jaxon fisted his hand in my hair, jerking it back further, holding me at his mercy.

Lucian clamped his hand over my mouth, another dominant move.

The two of them playing with me and owning me was incredibly intense.

Jaxon’s cock stilled and it left my ass cheeks.

With my movements restricted, I was only just able to see why.

He smiled darkly, then spat into his hand.

I moaned at the dirty sight as he used it to lube up his cock, rubbing it all over.

He parted my ass cheeks with his thumb and forefinger, and guided his cock to my hole.

And then he breached me, his thick mushroom head forcing its way into my ass.

At the same time, Lucian stepped up his torment of my cock, bringing his vampire speed into play.

I bucked wildly, but my movements were restrained by Lucian pushing against me and Jaxon pressing his free hand to my chest to hold me in place.

They were making me take it, using my body as they saw fit.

And I couldn’t get enough.

My eyes rolled back in my head as I felt every excruciating inch of Jaxon’s cock burrowing deeper and deeper into my ass.

He hit that sweet bundle of nerves within and I screamed into Lucian’s palm.

Jaxon stilled.

On purpose.

He grinned wickedly, relishing my helplessness, enjoying the power he was wielding over me even as he benefitted from the sensation of my ass holding his cock in a tight fisted grip.

I whimpered.

I couldn’t stand it.

I’d been so close.

I ground into Lucian’s hand, trying to get the relief I needed.

His hand clamped down around the base of my cock like a makeshift cock ring, denying me.

“Beg,” Jaxon ordered.

Lucian released my mouth. “Tell him what you want.”

“I’m going to need details,” Jaxon added. “Make me fucking hot with it, Ry.”

“Fuck me deep with your fat cock. Ream me with your wolf speed, make me feel the burn.”

His eyes darkened at my dirty words. “Mmm. Damn fucking straight,” he said, finally starting to move again, sawing in and out of me.

He kept his thrusts shallow, though, driving me to the brink of madness as he purposely avoided my prostate.

“Please! Fuck, Jax!”

“Good boy,” Lucian said, tugging at my nipple hoops with his teeth.

Abruptly, Jaxon slammed in deep and bore down on my sensitive bundle of nerves.

Lucian’s hand clamped down around my mouth just in time as a scream tore from my throat.

Jaxon drew all the way out, then slammed back in, bearing down again, then swiveled his hips.

The sensation was pure ecstasy, forcing another scream from me.

Lucian’s constricting grip around my cock was becoming all too painful in my desperate need to come and be satiated .

I yelled my need into his hand, my muffled screams sounding like a wild animal in heat.

I saw the two of them exchange a look.

Jaxon pulled out in the next second, making me whimper.

Lucian released my cock and the sudden rush of blood had me crying out and gasping for breath.

I didn’t get the chance to catch it, as Jaxon grasped my ankles and tugged, forcing my legs toward my shoulders.

“Hold your ankles. Don’t move a muscle,” he commanded.

Lucian shifted onto his knees, preparing himself to do hell knew what.

I couldn’t think on it as Jaxon suddenly thrust back inside my ass, driving right to the hilt, hitting that sweet spot over and over and fucking over. He brought his wolf speed into play and I lost it, my orgasm slamming into me.

With lightning-fast speed, Lucian took hold of my cock, holding it steady, aimed at my face.

With his other hand, he used his superior strength to force my mouth open.

In the next second, my cum erupted, filling my own mouth.

“Every last drop,” Lucian ordered.

I frantically gulped it down, struggling to keep my concentration as Jaxon continued reaming my ass like a madman on a mission.

It sent me hurtling over the edge again, catching me off guard.

Lucian released my cock without warning and I shot my load all over my face and neck.

Jaxon pulled out and flipped me over onto all fours.

Lucian was there in a burst of speed, holding my cheeks open, spread painfully wide, staring at my gaping hole.

Jaxon let himself go, spurting his cum deep into my ass.

“Fuck, yeah!” he roared, making me shudder as I felt his hot cum oozing inside my hole.

“Hmm, not quite full enough,” Lucian said.

Jaxon spat into my ass, the indignity of it sending a dirty thrill through me. “How about now?” he joked.

“Not yet.”

The next thing I knew, Lucian was fingering me, stirring the mixture of cum and spit, then scooping some of it out and spreading it over my ass cheeks. He reached around and shoved his coated fingers into my mouth, making me taste it.

He shoved deep and didn’t stop, throat fucking me without mercy.

I choked in the next second as he slammed his cock into my ass and began fucking me within an inch of my life. It didn’t take him long with all the buildup to find his release, and he came inside me too with a snarl.

I felt my ass overflowing, cum dribbling down my thighs.

Lucian swept his hand over it, then reached around and wiped it over my mouth and cheeks.

I collapsed onto the bed. “Fucking shit,” I choked.

I hadn’t thought it possible, but adding Jaxon into the mix with me and Lucian took the dirty to a whole other level.

It was a hell of a rush.

I loved every second of it.

I felt Lucian’s arms around me. He held me against him and whispered in my ear, “Well done. You were incredible. ”

“Damn straight,” Jaxon breathed, stretching his arms out above his head with a deep sigh of contentment.

I smiled and closed my eyes peacefully.

“Head’s up!” Jaxon called from the stove across the kitchen.

Lucian reacted for me, using his acute reflexes to catch the pancake sailing across the room with my plate, adding it to the first.

“Thanks.”

He wrapped his arm around me and gave me a squeeze. “Of course.”

He’d been very touchy-feely with me since our liaison with Jaxon a couple of hours ago.

I wasn’t sure of the root cause.

Was he worrying that he’d gone too far?

Or now that the lustful intensity had worn off and we were all back to thinking clearly, was he concerned that bringing Jaxon in on things could impact what we had together?

He didn’t need to be concerned about either.

I’d reveled in what they’d done to me. If I’d wanted it to stop, I could have easily made that happen with my magic.

And what Lucian and I had was an entity unto its own.

Nothing could shake that.

I’d reassure him about it later. I didn’t want to in front of Jaxon.

Plus, I was starving. Two intense mind-blowing fucking sessions back-to-back was a lot to handle and I needed sustenance quickly. Judging by the two blood bags Lucian had blown through when we’d headed in here to the kitchen ten minutes ago, he was right there with me on that.

Jaxon strode over to the four-seater table a moment later, putting down a large tray full of dishes containing a ton of bacon, sausages, eggs, fried tomatoes, fruit, and syrup for the pancakes.

He started filling the plate in front of him and eyed me, “Dig in.” He glanced at Lucian’s empty plate. “Feel free. I wasn’t sure about your eating habits. Vamps and Ancient vamps differ, don’t they?”

Lucian snatched up a piece of bacon and took a bite, grinning at Jaxon with amusement. “I can eat, but I don’t require food to sustain me.”

“Got it,” Jaxon said, starting to chow down on his food.

I kicked mine off with pancakes. At the first melt-in-your-mouth bite, I eyed Jaxon, “You’re a hell of a cook.”

He shrugged. “They’re just pancakes.”

“Still. They’re really good pancakes.”

“Yeah, well, cooking was one of the skills you had to pick up as a wolf pup, knowing how to feed your pack and all that.” His eyes flickered with pain.

I reached out and clasped his wrist. “Are you okay?”

“It comes in waves.”

“I can imagine.” I knew he’d been working through his grief with Mia. “If you need to—”

“I’m good.” He smiled over at me, then sucked in a breath. “I mean, I’m getting there. But thanks. I know you’re here.”

A few moments of sad, contemplative silence fell over us for a while as we ate together.

And then he spoke, commenting, “Yeah, this is hitting the spot.”

“You know, I could’ve just conjured all of this? You didn’t need to go to all this trouble. ”

“I like it. Cooking is kind of soothing. Keeps me rooted to reality too when the supernatural world is going haywire all around me. Keeps me grounded.”

I couldn’t believe it. An amused chuckle burst from me.

Lucian grinned, enjoying my laugh, a holdover from my more carefree side, something he hadn’t seen a lot of lately. He laid his hand on mine.

“What’s so funny?” Jaxon asked curiously.

“Just how alike you and Mia are in some ways. The pride, the repression, the sense of duty. The whole cooking thing is right up her alley too. She has the same reasoning that you do. It’s uncanny.”

“She can’t cook.”

I frowned. “She made that picnic for your date.”

“She said she conjured it.”

“The ingredients, because we didn’t have a lot here, yes. But she put it all together and actually made it, cooked the beef, made the quiche, those tarts, and everything else. I saw her working on it in here while you were outside running in wolf form.”

He looked more than a little stumped. “Weird that she never mentioned that.”

“It’s not really that confounding, knowing Mia,” Lucian piped up.

It took me a moment, but I realized what he was getting at. “Right,” I said, giving a nod. “She probably downplayed it so that you don’t start to expect it.”

“Expect it?”

“Given how you grew up, in a misogynistic environment? She probably didn’t want you to think her domestic side extended beyond the cooking thing.” I eyed him pointedly. “Because it doesn’t.”

“Chill. I get it.”

“Good,” I said, relenting .

“Good,” he muttered, sensitive about being schooled in the intricacies of his own mate.

A few moments passed in awkward silence, before Jaxon suddenly cut through it, asking me, “Is the breakfast working to wash away the taste of our cum and your own ass?”

I stilled, my forkful of egg just shy of my mouth.

He was fucking with me.

Well, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

I was Ryker Morgan, the guy who had an answer for everything.

I eyed him steadily and fired back, “It’s actually a cocktail I’m rather fond of. Adding yours to the mix this time around gave it an added spice though.”

Lucian gave my hand a squeeze and chuckled at my smartass response.

Jaxon grinned, impressed. “Nice.”

An exaggerated gagging sound came from over by the door and we all turned to see Mia leaning against the doorframe, her arms folded across her chest, eyeing us with a mixture of distaste and amusement.

God . She looked sexy as hell with her just-fucked bed hair all wild about her face, dressed in just that thin black, silky robe.

“If this is what you guys talk about over breakfast, count me out.”

“Nah, princess, we’re done with that,” Jaxon assured her.

Lucian rose to his feet and gestured at the empty seat beside Jaxon. “Join us, beauty.”

She smiled and sauntered over to us.

In a burst of speed, Lucian was behind her as she sat down, pushing her chair in for her.

“Thank you,” she said, reaching up and easing him down to her. She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek.

“My pleasure,” he said, then rounded the table and took his seat back down beside me.

I smiled. With instances like that, it highlighted how he hailed from a very different age, where chivalry was prevalent. He had so many layers to him, I’d wager it would take me several lifetimes just to explore them all.

“Apologies for starting without you,” he told Mia. “We thought it best to allow you to sleep as long as you needed. Last night was rather taxing.”

She blushed a little and I thought she was going to shut down and retreat to her shy persona.

But, surprising us all, she didn’t, and instead she made a little joke, “Tell me about it.”

Jaxon wrapped his arm around her as he filled her plate with his free one. “How are you feeling?”

She nuzzled against him as she looked out at all of us with a big smile. “Amazing.”

“Indeed,” Lucian said.

“Hell, yeah,” Jaxon added.

That was an understatement. I hadn’t had time to wrap my head around it yet, what with the impromptu hardcore double-teaming from Lucian and Jaxon the second I’d woken up this morning.

But Mia had been something else last night. I’d seen a side of her that I’d only ever gotten close to before. Her inhibitions had completely fallen to the wayside and she’d been a wild thing, so free, so alive.

“You were incredible,” I told her.

That didn’t even cover it. She’d come such a long way.

I guess we all had in our own ways.

The threat hanging over our heads had forced all of us out of our comfort zones in a big way. We’d had to access the parts of ourselves that we usually buried down deep, the parts we’d been afraid of bringing to the surface for fear of being unable to make them a true and permanent part.

She grinned, taking my compliment, then dug into her food, wolfing it down in a desperate fury.

“Like mate, like mate,” I teased Jaxon.

“Yeah. I’m noticing it more and more.”

“The bond between the two of you is growing stronger,” Lucian said.

“Strong enough to do the claiming,” Mia added.

We all pulled up short at her heavy words.

“Really?” Jaxon asked, his excitement palpable.

There was anxiety in Mia’s eyes as she looked back at him though.

“Mia?” he pressed, his excitement petering out and concern replacing it.

She looked down at her food, pushing her bacon around her plate with her fork. “I’ve been researching the volumes of books that my father kept here in one of the storage closets. I was trying to find a quick fix to my issues I’d had with my magic. There wasn’t anything there, so I had to go about it the hard way with Ryker, as you all know. But there was a journal. His journal. I’ve been reading over it before bed.” She hastened a glance at us. “I know what he’s done to all of us and I hate it too, but he’s still my father and I’ve been missing him, worried about him. The journal, reading his thoughts, helped me to deal with that and keep my grief and anxiety about what’s happening to him at bay, until we can free him from Draco.”

I reached out and grasped her hand. “Mia, you don’t need to apologize or feel guilty for caring about your own father. We get it. It’s complicated for you.”

She nodded and pulled her hand from mine. “Well, two nights ago, I came across some of his writings about the Covenant .”

We all tensed.

I put down my utensils and sat back in my chair, bracing myself, watching Jaxon do the same. Lucian remained as calm and as impassive as he always was in these situations.

Mia struggled to meet Jaxon’s gaze as she revealed, “We all know that we need to receive one another physically and emotionally, opening ourselves all the way to one another to form a soul-deep connection, so that the fusion of your power into me will work. Because my father left you out of the details when he first broached the subject to the rest of us, I didn’t know until I happened upon it last night, but the mating bond is so powerful that it has to be used in full force during the ritual.”

“Meaning what, exactly?” Jaxon pressed.

“Meaning, the claiming has to occur during the ritual itself. Not just a regular wolf bite.” She winced. “I’m so sorry. I honestly didn’t know.”

“Well, Cornelius didn’t even intend for me to be a part of it in the first place, so what if we leave the claiming out of the picture altogether?” he asked.

“Then I won’t have enough power to defeat Draco. My father intended me and him to face off against Draco. If that were the case then our combined efforts would have been enough. Alone, though, with him captured and waning in strength, that’s no longer an option.”

“Shit,” I muttered.

“Fucking winged bastard was playing one hell of a dangerous game. What if I’d already claimed you, huh?”

“Then we’d be in trouble.”

“The fates ensured that you didn’t,” Lucian said .

Mia’s gaze snapped to his. “Of course! My father was trusting in that, using it as a failsafe.”

“I’ll do you one better,” I spoke up. “He made you find the journal. He’s weakened with his magic depleting, but he’d still be able to pull off drawing you toward a freaking book. There’s a blood link between you because you’re family, which would have made it much easier for him.”

“Makes sense, princess,” Jaxon said. “You found it at just the right time too.”

“The puppet master never fails to make us dance in his ruthless masterpiece theatre,” Lucian growled.

Mia’s distress at the sheer invasive manipulation at her father’s hands was obvious and painful to witness.

Whenever we figured we’d finally discovered the extent of it, something else came to light. There was no line he wasn’t prepared to cross to enforce his will. All his bullshit talk about free will to Mia and here he was directing every move we made. The ends justified the means for him, the end being putting Draco down permanently. None of us were safe from his twisted influence. Not even his own daughter.

I saw Jaxon register the raw emotion all over Mia as everything sank in with an awful brutality for her. He took a beat, scrubbed his hand over his face, then reached out and stroked her shoulder, drawing her gaze to his. “It doesn’t matter how we do it, just that we do it, all right? I’m good with it happening during the ritual, princess.”

Color all of us shocked.

“Jaxon, you don’t have to pretend that—”

“There’s no pretending.”

“You’re sure?” she pressed.

“Yeah, I mean, the whole idea of having everything just right and perfect and all that… it’s not what really ma tters. The actual act of the claiming does, bonding with you does.”

A smile ghosted her lips. She leaned against him and nuzzled his shoulder. “Thank you, baby.”

He wrapped his arm around her, holding her tightly.

Then the two of them returned to eating.

I couldn’t though.

There was a heavy weight hanging over us, the proverbial elephant in the room.

As much as I wanted to wait on it, given how upset Mia was, I just couldn’t.

So, I shifted my weight on my chair and put it out there, asking her, “Are you ready to perform the ritual and seal the Covenant?”

I felt Lucian tense beside me.

Jaxon tossed me a look, a low growl rumbling in this throat.

I wasn’t having it and I gave him the brutal truth, “We’ve already stalled as long as we can so that Mia could regain her equilibrium, so the rest of us could prepare ourselves, so we could all bond. That’s been achieved. Now, with every second we wait, Draco remains out there unchecked wreaking havoc. Cornelius’ strength is draining away, all the pillars of the supernatural world that he’s erected are crumbling. The longer we wait now, the more of those that will fall.”

“All right, Ryker, we get it,” Mia cut in, pulling away from Jaxon and sitting up straight.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Well? What’s the verdict, sweetness?”

Her eyes bored into mine, determination and conviction flashing brightly, as she uttered the words I’d been waiting on for too long.

“I’m ready.”