Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect

A/N - This was originally posted on AO3 under the title of Love Bites but has been massively rewritten and is now a much more loving and adorable little drabble. The original version was pure smut, but this version touches on how they came to be together. It is a Shenga story - so it features a polyamorous couple. It's smutty and light-hearted and I really hope you enjoy this!

Kaidan dropped onto the leather sofa and stretched his feet out in front of him, eternally grateful that the reapers had spared his family's cabin when they attacked Earth. Beside him, James sipped on a beer and watched the storm raging outside; rain drummed against the roof and a chill wind tore along the mountainside. The occasional flash of lightning lit up the pine trees outside the window and their silhouettes stretched into the night like jagged black teeth.

The early winter storms were always cold and miserable but the cabin was cosy; relaxing here with the people he loved most was the perfect way to end the day. The announcement that the three of them - himself, James and Shepard - were engaged and in a polyamorous relationship had caused a media storm and they'd spent the day fronting the cameras and playing nice. Personally, he would have been content to do everything on the low down, but Shepard was still a media darling and sooner or later the press would have caught on to their relationship.

His eyes dropped to the redhead who lay on the rug in front of him and Kaidan grinned as Zillia Shepard yawned loudly. Like a cat, she had reclined on the floor by the fire and was basking in the heat given off by the flames. They cast a flickering orange light over the room and shadows danced invitingly in the hollows of her naked body. She rolled over and, sensing his gaze, glanced up and smiled, completely unabashed by her nakedness as she stretched out seductively.

She looks like some kind of fiery warrior goddess, Kaidan thought as the firelight caught her red hair and it glowed around her face in a luminous halo. James sighed and shifted restlessly, and Kaidan glanced across to see his brown eyes trained on Zi. He grinned to himself; they were both equally smitten with their lady love so it didn't surprise him that James couldn't keep his eyes off her either.

He turned his attention back to Zi. There were some moments when she seemed completely unaware of how enchanting she was, and then there were other times, like now, when she watched them with a look in her eyes that said she knew exactly how alluring she was.

She was a witch.

A temptress.

And he loved her for it; they both did.

She propped herself up on an elbow and blinked innocently. "It's awful lonely down here on the floor, you know."

Kaidan wasn't fooled for an instant.

"Is it?" He raised his eyebrows. "You could always come join us."

James nodded and patted the space on the couch between them. "Room for one more, Zi."

Kaidan exchanged a look with James and the men nodded at each other, putting up a united front against the temptations of Shepard.

"Hmmm," Zi hummed quietly as though considering their offer, though Kaidan knew better. He didn't even try to look surprised when she shook her head and flopped back to the floor. "No, I think I'd rather stay here where it's nice and hot." She ran a hand down her body, cupping her breasts and then stroking her thighs. "But you're both welcome to join me."

Her hand dipped between her legs and heat flooded through Kaidan's body as she arched her back and touched herself. James didn't hesitate as he abandoned the couch and joined her on the floor, catching Shepard in his arms and kissing her soundly. His muscles bunched and rippled as he pulled off his shirt and wrapped his arms around her naked form, his tattoos dark smudges against his tanned skin.

So much for their united front!

"Traitor," Kaidan muttered at James as he defected to the floor; he had no will power where Zi was concerned.

The other man chuckled and shrugged helplessly as Shepard snuggled coquettishly against his muscled chest. Her amber eyes flicked to Kaidan's and she held a hand out entreatingly. Her smile was mischievous, her eyes twinkled and Kaidan's resolve crumpled like tissue paper as she reached for him. He smirked, already lost as she caught hold of his wrist and pulled him down to the floor with them.

Zi tugged him into the tangle of their bodies as her hands drifted down his chest and dipped into the waistband of his boxers. She giggled and flashed him a smile that hit like a bolt of energy; striking him right to the core. His body stirred eagerly as she caressed him through his pants, but her hands fell away as James lightly bit her on the shoulder and tightened his arms around her.

James' eyes met his and Kaidan nodded; if Zi wanted to play then they'd play.

James held her still as Kaidan crawled up her body and pressed his lips to the spots that drove her wild; the gentle curve of her neck, the soft stretch of skin below her belly button, and finally he moved himself between her legs and placed a kiss at the very apex of her thighs. He was rewarded with a high-pitched whimper of pleasure as Zillia trembled and writhed.

Kaidan grinned and kissed her inner thighs lovingly; she was so beautiful.

"I think she likes that," James murmured, his voice a low purr as he massaged one breast and kept his other arm around her waist. "Is that good, Zi?"

"Yes," she whispered breathlessly. "It feels wonderful."

Kaidan smirked and lowered his mouth back to her body, flicking his tongue along her folds and trusting James to hold her still. It was hard to believe that only a few months ago he and James had almost lost their friendship over Zi. That instead of being united in their love for this woman, they'd fought over her like two dogs over a bone.

The memory filled him with shame; there had been so much miscommunication and needless hate between them. If it hadn't been for James' drunken apology over poker one night, or his own discovery that part of his anger at James was due to his feelings for him, they might never have put their problems aside and become friends again.

Friends?

More than friends, Kaidan thought smugly as he glanced up and met James' eyes.

They'd bonded over late night talks about Zi as they mended their friendship, and eventually the lines between them had blurred. He'd never considered polyamory before, but he loved James and Zi, and it was clear that they were still in love with each other. The possibility of trying a three-way relationship hadn't been easy to bring up, and it had taken several long talks to convince Zi that it was okay to love two people at once, but it had been worth the effort.

The three of them worked wonderfully together.

It wasn't just some passing lust they were feeling; it was love. And it was every bit as real and meaningful as Kaidan had known it would be. They had ground rules, of course, but they loved each other and they loved being with each other. Solidifying that bond with a ceremony after the war had felt right to all of them.

He held the other man's gaze as he lowered his mouth to Zillia and began to tease her with delicate flicks of his tongue. She went wild; her muscles tensed, back arched, and she cried out in ecstasy as he lavished attention on her most sensitive parts. Kaidan's control started to slip as he watched James kiss and lightly bite her neck, his strong arms holding her still when she would have broken free, but he held on.

Just.

Zi was so wonderfully responsive to their touch; he never ceased to marvel at just how gorgeously erotic she could be in bed without even knowing it.

Her moans of pleasure and the sensation of her body moving against his was too much and Kaidan gave her one final kiss as he got to his knees. James and Zi were both flushed and aroused, and though they were still wrapped in each other's arms, it was him they stared at. Kaidan's stomach tightened at the hungry look in their eyes as he moved up their bodies and kissed them both.

He loved seeing them like this; turned on and hungry for each other.

"I want you to fuck me while I give James oral," Zi told him breathlessly as she wriggled against the larger marine. "If that's okay with you, Jimmy?"

James nodded and kissed her neck. "Fuck, yes."

"I think I can manage that," Kaidan agreed as he slid his boxes off.

They did some rearranging; James ended up on the couch with Shepard on her knees between his legs and Kaidan behind her. It was an erotic position for them all, but especially for Zi who loved being between them, and Kaidan watched as she eagerly licked and sucked on James' length, using her hands and mouth to pleasure him. It looked hot and he swallowed hard as James groaned and relaxed on the couch.

Kaidan shook his head in amusement; he'd once punched James for kissing Zi and now here he was getting turned on watching her give him head.

He moved up behind Shepard and traced a hand along the curve of her ass, stroking the silky smooth skin. His eyes followed the lines of her body and he smirked; she was beautiful. He used his hand to position the tip of his erection at her entrance and slowly pushed inside, sliding himself deep into her depths and groaning as her warmth enveloped him. Zi gasped and arched her back as he sheathed himself in her body - and whatever she did with her mouth made James echo her cry with one of her own.

The three of them moved almost as one person; so attuned to each other's needs that they instinctively knew what the other wanted. Kaidan fucked Shepard slowly to start with, enjoying the feel of her body around him, but quickened his strokes as he felt her muscles tense and saw her reach up to clasp James' hand. He could feel she was close, as was he, and every thrust brought him closer to his release. It built inside of him; heavy and sweet.

James broke first; shuddering and swearing loudly in Spanish as Zi took all of him into her mouth and deep throated him. His head fell back and his back bowed, his muscles tensing as his hands tangled in her hair and he gave into his release. Watching James come while Shepard went down on him was almost too much, and Kaidan knew he wouldn't last long. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes and began fuck Shepard as hard as he could – exactly as she liked him to.

He slammed into her rhythmically as she tensed and cried out; her body trembling and tightening around him like a vice as she came. It was too much for Kaidan and the pleasure that had built up roared through him in a crackle of biotics. He thrust into her for as long as he could, riding the wave of pleasure until neither of them could take anymore, and then, exhausted, he slumped to the side.

They slid to the ground together and Kaidan managed a sleepy smile as James joined them on the floor, the three of them holding each other close as they basked in the afterglow. They were out of breath and slick with sweat; drained but sated.

"I love you," Zi sighed happily as she lay spooned between them, her voice furred with passion. "Both of you."

"Mi corazón es tuyo," James told her sleepily. "My heart is yours." He chuckled suddenly and glanced over at Kaidan. "Yours too, mi amigo."

Kaidan returned his grin and dropped a kiss on the top of Zi's head. "And I love you both as well."

Shepard and James exchanged a slow sleepy kiss and Kaidan's chest swelled with love for them both. He ran a hand through Zi's hair and kissed her deeply, then leaned back and kissed James as well, smiling against his lips as they snuggled together.

Yes, he thought happily as they lay together in front of the fire while the storm raged outside, this was the perfect way to end the day.

A/N - I hope you enjoyed this! The story does follow on from Burn (which is the story of their love triangle) and hopefully I will have the sequel From the Ashes ready to post soon! This is my first poly-fic so I'd love to know what you thought.