Page 10

CHAPTER 10

THE RED MOON

SHANNON

S ierra waves one hand in front of her face, the other cradling her small baby bump. “Goddamn, I thought New York in summer was hellish. This? This is actual hell.”

Tandy makes a small sound of agreement. Sierra completely pretends that she didn’t hear it.

Half of me wants to tell them to cut the shit and just figure it out. Considering Billie already has and has decided to stop acting like an intermediary so that they do, I feel like it would be better if I keep my trap shut.

Besides, their decade-long beef is between them. Tandy wants Sierra’s forgiveness while Sierra insists that there’s nothing to forgive which is, well, horseshit basically. Tandy fucked her man behind her back. I’d hold a grudge over that, too.

Luckily, this is the first time they’ve been in the village together. Unluckily, the obvious rift between them got old when we were chatting earlier. I’d figured that, after the feast, either Tandy would leave with her twin mates or Sierra and Hope would announce that they were heading back with Dagon and Sammael. No way would they want to torture us all again with this awkward small talk.

Nope. Tandy mentioned that Damien and Lucian were here because they saw they were supposed to here so they weren’t leaving anytime soon. As for Sierra and Hope, they might’ve wanted to go except Sammael and Loki took off for ‘mage’ business after dinner. They foursome came together and planned on leaving together, so with Sammael missing, they were also sticking around.

Kennedy had been resting earlier during our first chat. She’s with us now, trying her best to hide how excited she is to be hanging out with the members of Thr33peat, while I excused myself to check on Alana.

Now my baby is fed, changed, and sleeping for the night. I’m still parked in front of the window in case she wakes up and I can hear her moving around, but staying outside of the house while she’s sleeping inside is perfectly safe in a village of Nuit.

Hell, we don’t even lock our doors and windows here…

It is hot, though. Everytime I think that I’ve gotten used to it, it’s like some higher beings—the Sombran gods, maybe—decide to crank it up another degree or two.

For some reason, it’s even worse tonight. But I’m thirty-two in a twenty-nine-year-old’s body. No way should I be having hot flashes, but ever since I slipped outside to join in with the girl talk, it’s like I’m on fire.

Hope is talking now, with Kennedy nodding eagerly, but I’m barely listening. Then again, she’s kinda not talking anymore, either. Her voice trails off as she looks behind her, as if searching for something.

Or someone?

Me? I’d be lying if I wasn’t distracted by staring at Malphas. Unnf. It forever turns me on that his outfit of choice is a pair of leathers—or shadows—that cover up the cock that belongs to me and me alone, and then nothing else. From the moment he had my name tattooed on his chest with silver ink, he shows it off every chance he can. His hair is long, thick, and luscious. His features masculine and strong, and I’ve gotten a certain weakness for his horns.

Nothing like a built-in handlebar when I want to ride his face, am I right?

He has his back to me, standing over there with Glaine and Dagon.

I feel a tiny twinge of guilt for sending him out there earlier, like a mom shipping her kid off to a playdate with the neighborhood boys. He must’ve enjoyed himself since, like the human women, he returned to talk to them after dinner. I almost wish I could hear what they’re saying, but since Dagon is staring off into space and Glaine is staring over here at Glaine, he’s probably as bored as I am.

No. Not bored.

Horny .

That’s what this anxious, distracting feeling is. Shit. I try to discreetly rub my thighs together, giving my throbbing pussy a little relief, all while mentally undressing my mate from across the square. Damn. The curve of his ass and just how tight it is… he has me licking my lips in desire.

I remember how there were stages in my early pregnancy where I honestly thought I would die if Malphas didn’t fuck me. This? I don’t know where it came from, as sudden as this need is, but shit . It’s, like, ten times worse.

Hm. Would cutting the others off mid-sentence and saying, “Sorry, need some shadow dick,” be too much? Probably. If it was just Amy standing here, I would. Kennedy? Definitely. If Lilith had joined us, she would laugh; she thinks I’m an amusing human who talks too much, and she isn’t wrong at all. I’ve gotten to know Billie enough to consider her a friend, but this relationship with Sierra and Hope is too new to blow them up to get my back blown out.

Same with Tandy?—

Whoa. Hold on. I blink, then do a double-take. A second ago, Tandy was standing right there, twirling a strand of vibrant red hair around her pointer finger, trying her best not to look as awkward as she obviously feels. I didn’t even see him coming, but one of the doppelseers—hell if I know which—just scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder before striding away from her.

Their path is taking them out of Nuit. Makes sense. The psychic twins own this enchanted cabin that reminds me of Howl’s Moving Castle. It drifts all over Sombra, going where they’re needed. They would’ve parked it just outside of Nuit’s borders, and that’s where he’s taking her now.

“Guess we’re not the only ones feeling hot,” remarks Billie. “Would be nice if Glaine remembered I existed, but nope. Look. They’re all staring up at the sky.”

My head swivels back over to the guys. The other twin is there with them, talking to Malphas, Glaine, and Dagon, and Billie’s right. They’re watching the moon?—

No. Moons .

Weird. The gold moon just came and went, and I’ve never seen any other one… until now. I wonder what that’s about?

Just as I have that thought, Malphas tugs on our bond. It might be on purpose, it might’ve been on accident, but I get the sensation that he needs me, too. A second later, I burst out laughing. After being bonded mates for as long as we have, it’s easy to dip into his essence. I don’t often do it, but you know what they say. Curiosity kills the cat.

Or, in this case, goes straight to my poor pussy.

Because the new moon? The red moon?

It’s a mating moon.

“They’re looking up at a horny moon, Bil.”

She raises her eyebrows. “What was that, Shannon?”

Please. “Oh, come on. You feel it.” I wiggle my fingers back at the guys. “My mate really feels it. I was trying to pretend like I didn’t, but one of Tandy’s mates just told Mal about the red moon up there. See it? Seems like it’s responsible for it.”

Billie sighs, her big, blues glittering in amusement regardless. “Just when I’m getting used to living here.”

“You complaining?”

“When Glaine is my mate? You must be joking.” She laughs, and Sierra bumps her shoulder playfully. “In fact, speak of the demon…”

Glaine’s peeled off from the group. He’s stalking over to ours, a look of absolute purpose on his face. Grabbing her hand, he starts guiding her back to their place.

As she goes, she calls out, “We’ll be heading upstairs. I still have a couch if you need it, Sierra. Hope, have your mage whip up a spare if you need it, or maybe bunk with Kennedy and Loki. See you on the other side, ladies.”

While Hope, Sierra, and Kennedy exchange an amused look, I turn back in time to see that Mal and Dagon have broken up the last of their circle. Sensing how much he needs me, I shouldn’t have been surprised that Mal stalks right over to me, lifting me easily, tilting me back into a bridal-style carry.

And, to be fair, I’m not. Not really. I do squeal in anticipation as he lifts me, and I only hope that, when I see the other girls for girl talk later, they’ve had as enjoyable of a night as I’m about to.

* * *

There’s no debating it. Red moon or not, we need to fuck. We need to mate. I want Mal, he’s desperate for me, and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t give in to our love and desire for each other.

But we’re, you know, responsible parents; at least, we try our best to be. Once I kick my legs a little, signalling for Mal to put me down, I gesture to the stairs. “Let me make sure Alana is sleeping. Stay down here.”

Mal cocks his head, showing off his slick, beautiful horns. “You don’t want to mate in our room?”

“Maybe later, babe. If this red moon thing is as potent as I think, it might be too close to Alana’s room. I’m figuring this might be an all night thing, right?”

His tongue darts out, dabbing the point of his fang. “Hopefully.”

That’s what I thought. “We can’t go too far. The lava pool is out of the question since Kennedy’s gonna be too busy to babysit for us. That means we let Alana sleep in her crib upstairs and we can have our fun down here on the couch. Sound good?”

He bows his head, taking a quick kiss. “You want me to go check on her?”

“I’ll go. You get ready for me.”

That won’t be difficult. He has his leathers on and that’s all. But since I like to tease my mate a little, make him hungry for me, I blow him a kiss, then disappear up the stairs.

Just like I thought, Alana is fast asleep. I ruffle her curls, swipe her cheek with my thumb, then tell her a sweet good night before returning to Mal.

He’s sitting on the couch, completely bare. His erection is jutting out from the juncture of his legs. It’s big and it’s daunting, the blood rushing to it turning the red skin nearly purple, and if I didn’t know I could fit that sucker inside of me, I’d be wary.

“Come here, my flower,” he rumbles, reaching out for me with his shadow claws as he spreads his legs, leaving me a gap to approach him.

I hold up my finger.

“We have to be quiet,” I tell him. “I don’t want to wake her up.”

“Anything for you, my mate.”

I grab the hem of my tank top, lifting it up and over my head before tossing it to the floor. My bra goes next. “I mean it, Mal. I need you. Fuck it, I crave you. Red moon or not, if I don’t have your hands on me… you mouth on me… I might die.”

Mal’s golden eyes glitter with lust and amusement as he zeroes in on my full tits. “You are immortal.”

I unbutton my jeans, tug on the zipper, and start shimmying them off. “I can still feel like I’m dying.”

“Then you have no need to worry.” He lifts his big hands, flexing his fingers again. “Come here and let your male touch you.”

I wait until I’m completely naked before I do. Sidling over to him, I step between his legs, bracing myself on his broad shoulders. His skin is hot; I’m sure mine is, too. The red moon is doing a number on us, and I love it.

Mal reaches out, his palms scalding my skins as he takes a tit in each of his hands. I throw back my head, moaning at how pleasurable it feels to have his shadow claws dipping past my skin, his fingertips kneading at my tender flesh.

I thread my fingers through his thick hair as he plays with my tits, worshipping them, loving them. He squeezes. Flicks. Strokes.

It feels amazing .

I need more, though, and I throw my leg over his thigh, climbing onto his lap while he fondles me. He jolts when my wet pussy touches his skin, his touch getting a little firmer and a whole lot more possessive.

“Shannon,” he hisses.

“Good boy,” I murmur because, if there’s one thing I learned about Mal, he likes it when I praise him, especially during sex. “You’re keeping your voice down, just like I asked.”

“Your cunt… it feels so good on my skin.”

“Well, back atcha, babe. Your hands are magic on my tits. But don’t forget about the rest of me. Your mate is a needy girl tonight.”

As if remembering that he can touch my pussy, too, if he wants—he can do a lot to it—he releases my breasts, pausing when he sees what he’s done.

“Milk?” he marvels.

Hey. I’m not embarrassed. This man sticks his tongue in my pussy on a regular basis. Once, he missed, and I found out what it was like to have my ass ate. Of course, that led to us exploring other avenues of pleasure… but in the last four months, Mal has—consciously or not—avoided playing with my tits as if he’s decided they belong to our daughter while I’m nursing.

He was fondling them, playing with them, swiping over my nips with his shadow claws… is it any surprise that I leaked a little.

“I’m always ready in case Alana’s hungry.”

“Our spawn might not be, but your male… he is starved for you.”

Mal ducks his head just enough to bring his mouth down to my tit. He doesn’t suckle, though he does lap at my nipple, taking enough of the breast milk inside of him that my body shivers.

“Oh, baby,” I breathe out, squirming to get closer to his heat. “I love it when I get to see your kinky side.”

“It’s you.” His voice is both raspy and solemn as he pulls away from my tit, looking up at my face in earnestness instead. “Every part of you is delicious, my mate. I could feast on you for eternity and never hunger. Your cunt… your milk. Whatever you offer, I will gladly accept.”

“No. I want you to take it.”

He groans.

I squeeze his thigh, slipping a little in the mess I’m making on him. “Is that quiet, Mal?”

“My apologies. But… oh, my mate… you don’t know what the idea of doing that… of just taking you… of making you mine… I am an honorable male?—”

“Sure are.”

“—but I admit that I fantasize of flipping you to your belly, mounting you, and mating you while you squirm in pleasure beneath me.”

Well, fuck. Now that Mal’s put that in my head, I’m also fantasizing about it.

When I was pregnant nearly our entire relationship so far, Mal’s been careful with me when it comes to mating. Plus, you know, there’s our size difference to think of. No denying he’s huge and, being proportionate, that means his dick is pretty freaking huge, too.

But I can take him. I’m four months postpartum, my body as learned that Mal’s gives only pleasure, and I have learned all the way down to the depths of my soul that this demon will never, ever hurt me.

I lick my lips and grin up at Mal. “Then do it.”

His brow furrows. “Do you… does my mate request it?”

Oh, Malphas. Even now, he needs permission.

I lift my hand, cradling his sharp jaw. “Hell, yeah, she requests it.”

That’s all he needs to let himself go.

Hooking his hands under my arms, Mal lifts me easily. I’m up, legs dangling, squealing against as he shifts me with care before laying me down on my belly on the couch. I scoot just enough so that I can grip the arm of it before stretching out, wiggling my toes as Mal climbs on top of me.

He’s in his demon form. At this point, we’ve fucked in every single one of his shapes and sizes, but there’s something about a seven-foot-demon with superheated skin using his big body to pleasure mine.

He’s always careful. No matter what, he keeps his claws shadow so that he doesn’t accidentally jab me, and I know that he’ll turn his dick to shadow if only because it heightens both of our pleasure when he does.

There’s no resistance, either. When he can make his dick the right size for me so that it’s not too narrow, not too tight, and that he can bottom out without making me feel so stuffed that I’m gonna ache, why wouldn’t he?

He doesn’t put his full weight on me. Bracing himself, he still manages to cage me in, pinning me down as he positions himself at the entrance to my pussy.

One thrust is all it takes for him to seat himself inside of me, both of us moaning now at just how perfect it feels to be connected tonight of all nights.

On our way inside, he assured me we could mate all night without worrying about getting pregnant again; this is a rare red moon after all, not the gold one. And that is the only reason why, when he starts panting my name, quickening his place, coming within a minute or two of first starting to fuck me, I’m not mad.

Besides, he’ll be ready to go in seconds. As for me, the sensation of having me under him, plus knowing he wants me so desperately even know that he can’t last, has me freaking orgasming along with him.

Or, you know, maybe it’s the red moon.

It’s probably the red moon.

God bless the red moon…

Finally, coming down from my climax, I have to admit that, damn it, we weren’t quiet at all—and that’s because, sorry, I’m a screamer and I can’t help it. Knowing that was just the first round of what promises to be many, I doubt we’ll be quiet then, either. Thankfully, Alana has proven that she can sleep through the night whenever I need my mate, so maybe she will.

If not, I’ll hear her and I’ll go to her. But, until then, I’m going to enjoy my mate for as long as the red moon lasts—and after that, too.