Once the daze over Nick and Reece's grope-tease really wore off, even after this time, I started to really focus once again. Or tried to. Toddlers wanting food, leaving incredible messes that I was sure were records, babies still needing feeding, cuddles, play, even with the help it was a huge job. One baby was a full time job. Five of them?
Once Elena was gone though, Matt, Kate and Logan were more or less let off. I was still annoyed with them for lying to me but Matt was fine and we'd more or less come to an agreement about him calming down. Sort of.
I sat there at the end of the day, staring at the mess left behind as Nick tried to get them to sleep upstairs, watching the washing machine churn away and feeling a little dazed now over the wash of chaos. Normal chaos. I should have been relaxed, should have felt like it was 'almost over'. Shouldn't I? I wasn't entirely sure why they'd let Demetruis out anyway. To lead them to the 'main warehouse?' I wasn't sure. This was not a part of the plan Elena or Clayton had elaborated on. Just that 'he was loose' and they were going after him and the drugs. Maybe they were concerned that if I knew too much, I'd sneak after them.
Maybe they were right about that.
"You want me to clean this up?" Reece stepped into the kitchen and gawked at it. His eyes went to my foot.
"I could use some help, yeah." I admitted, making my way over slowly, using the heel now that I could more or less put weight back on it. We cleaned up, wiped up sticky food, stuck dishes back in the dishwasher, and tried to clean the kitchen. I sighed, leaning against the bench when it was more or less cleaned from the custard powder, salt and tomato paste artwork I'd left behind in my rush of cooking.
Reece flopped beside me, dropping his head, but he didn't seem as tired as I was. "Seem funny to you that Demetruis is out?"
"I figured they wanted him to lead them somewhere." I nodded.
"Yeah, me too. Wish I could help."
"Me too. I like this life. It's just...hard to keep switching from this to that, then back again." I admitted. I loved my kids more than anything I had ever loved, ever, loved Nick equally as much... but it was hard to switch off 'adrenaline' or 'soldier' once it was on. I wondered if there was a switch.
"We should go for a run." Reece said quietly. "It might help."
"We've got to watch kids, remember?" I sighed. Honestly, as much as I could go a while without it, some part of me did need it. Need to run, to chase rabbits, to hunt, and to get all this pent up frustration out. I wanted to go fight beside Elena and Clayton. I couldn't though. Clayton was right. Elena was alpha and this had to be her moment.
"I'll talk to Jeremy. I'm sure they can handle it now they're asleep."
The bigger kids might have passed out, after I'd let them race in circles around the house like crazy things all day, set up a tent in Matt's room with the promise that they would not go anywhere except that room all night, and probably the twins. But the toddlers? It didn't sound like it. I could still hear Nick upstairs, trying to convince three very awake toddlers they were tired- but I let Reece head upstairs anyway.
A car got my attention and I went outside, trying to get goop off my top, seeing a face I hadn't seen for a long time now. Jamie smiled at me, putting a finger to her mouth, as she slid out of the car.
"Jeremy doesn't know you're here, does he?" I asked softly, and she shook her head, a wicked grin on her face.
"Can you help sneak me into his bedroom?" She asked softly. She was wearing a trench coat, heels, and I knew from experience what that meant. Jamie was either undressed under there or more or less seconds from it. I snorted, she shhhed me, and we made our way upstairs.
It wasn't that hard. Jeremy was now with Nick, trying to help him convince the triplets they were sleepy, the door shut and the night light on. We snuck past, down to Jeremy's bedroom, and I left her in there. It might not have been a plot that'd work usually- not with a werewolf's nose- but with Jeremy still 'uncured', it was going to work spectacularly.
She mouthed something about morning, probably 'talk in the morning' or 'see you in the morning' or something, and I left her to her little plan as I went back downstairs. I was looking forward to seeing Jeremy's face in the morning, that was for sure.
Reece was downstairs, looking for me, and he grinned when he caught sight of me. He lifted me up, swinging me around. "Freedom. We're going hunting. Nick's coming and Jeremy's going to be babysitting."
"On his own? Poor guy."
"I promised we'd be back by five. It's night. He can cope."
I didn't tell Reece he wasn't going to be on his own. I had to admit I was just happy that we were going out for a run. Nick and Reece may have given up on their 'threesome' idea, they hadn't bugged me about it since I'd told Reece I'd been a virgin when I'd met Nick, but I still loved going hunting with the two of them.
Nick came down half an hour later, tired looking, muttering something about needing to get spare nappies from Forestwatch before we went anywhere. So we went back to have another 'snack', waiting, my body itching to get started now that it was more or less guaranteed that we were going to go for the run and work out the pent up need for activity.
After a while, I decided Nick could just hurry up and join us when he got back, and headed out into the forest ahead of Reece who was writing a note more or less to that effect. He didn't need to- Nick would figure it out sooner or later- but it would at least speed him up a bit.
I stripped off, left the clothing , and got down to changing. No rush, no anxiety, just the usual agony that came with the usual speed, until it was done, the ache in my body and head and chest was gone, and I lying on my side once more, in a form that was starting to feel as natural to me as a human body had.
There was no time to lay around though. Reece was up, prancing around in the wet ground, I heard him circle around the little clearing I'd chosen as he waited for me to finish. I slid across the ground, quiet, sneaking away as he paced in a circle, amused as he kept circling that spot... he only noticed I'd elft it when he came across the fresh scent across the ground.
By then, I was racing away, tail up, ears up, joy flooding me at the sheer freedom in this. In being able to run, and jump, and snap at a low branch that sent droplets of water flying all over the place as I caught it and tugged at it. A startled bird jumped higher up as the tree shook.
Reece ploughed into me from the side, rolling us both over as his teeth caught onto fur, and he mock-growled when he had me pinned under him, teeth against my throat. Very clever. He caught me. I wriggled, pushing at him with paws, whining and pretending to be hurt. He backed off, inhaling, eyes narrowing when he found no sign of blood.
What he did find, apparently, was my scent. He pounced back, almost as if he was tempted to climb on top of me like a horny wolf, only to back off again and wriggle around, bum in the air, daring me to chase him, to play with him.
I saw Nick close behind him, sneaking up, low to the ground as I approached Reece. It was Nick who got his tail though, pouncing at him, the two of them turning on each other and having mock battles while I had to sit back and watch. Yawn. Battling each other? That was no fun for me.
While they were distracted I was gone, slipping through the dense forest, weaving my way through the forest without concern or need to hide scent or trails. From what? Out here, in Jeremy's land, it was safe. No one was going to come for us out here.
Nick caught up with me a few hundred metres later, nudging me in a different direction, nuzzle-shoving as Reece took the lead. I wasn't sure where they wanted to lead me. I wanted to go this way, follow this rabbit, not that way.
He growled, shook his head, and made me go another direction. I was more curious than obedient, I had to admit, not sure why Reece and Nick were leading me into Forestwatch's land. Did we need to re-claim it? It was pretty quiet, empty of pack scents, not as many prey in this land as the other.
Once we were in the land, the two of them circled me, suddenly staring at me in a way that made me nervous. No more human mind to block it out, or pretend that 'they'd lost interest', the wolf in me knew what these 'expressions' were. It was the look of a wolf as they stared at their mate with interest that had nothing to do with hunting or playing, and it was coming from two male wolves, not one. To the wolf in me, this spelt trouble, maybe a fight... and yet, they didn't fight. Snap at each other a little bit, Nick's nose pressing against my hip, his need as strong as his scent and making me tremble. I knew what he wanted. Almost expected him to do it now, right now, except that he just stood there, as Reece came to the other side.
I snapped at them both, trying to tell them to cut it out, but they ignored me. Sniffed, prodded, noses going where they didn't usually linger, and I felt a heavy body suddenly weigh my back half down .It wasn't a serious attempt at 'mating', it was something else, Nick teasing me. Claiming me. Maybe a little of both. Reece snapped at him, shoving him, and suddenly it was him trying it, as Nick snapped at him.
It was only when I wriggled forward, dropping to my belly, trying to indicate that I was changing back now, did they back off. I swear I saw Nick grin then, as if this was what he'd been hoping I'd do, saw Reece and him share a look as they backed off in a hurry themselves.
I changed back and stood there in the cold night, face flushed as I recalled how Nick and Reece had been behaving, mistakenly assuming that it had been called off. What else should I have expected? The past two days, they'd said and done nothing about it, we'd focused on the problem itself.
Suddenly, I had this distinct sense of being watched. Not just watched, but really being watched, someone coming out of the bush, their breathing still fast, the smell of sweat as they came out into the clearing. Then someone else. I inhaled, slowly, shutting my eyes, my heart speeding up and body tensing.
I knew I wasn't in danger. My reaction was about something else I smelt. The wolf in me, it was back again, pacing up and down, aware that I was being hunted for a different purpose right now. Was 'two mates' even normal in wolves? I had no effing clue.
A twig snapped as someone came closer, slowly, carefully. They'd probably snapped it on purpose. They didn't need to, I knew he was there, I knew what he was thinking. I smelt it. When I opened my eyes, I saw Reece right in front of me, staring at me with an expression he'd never directed my way before. His eyes were openly staring at me like he'd never seen me naked before when he had, every time we ran as a pack. I became vaguely aware that I was shaking.
Nick slid up behind me, a hand brushing across my shoulders, gentle. "Hi."
"You two up to something?"
"Maybe." He grinned, sliding up behind me, gently grasping my arms. Not restraining, it wasn't the right word for it, but holding me still. I knew I was in control here. One word and they'd back off. "We won't do it here though."
I didn't ask where. I lost the ability to ask as Reece stepped closer, closing the gap until there was no more cold air, just the warmth of skin, lips pressing against my throat, my back, and no way to deny that both he and Nick were completely into this. So was I, apparently, but my mind was struggling to keep up with my body.
"What are those rules Reece talked about?" I tried to ask, eyes shutting, a familiar hand running down one side.
"He's not allowed to kiss you while we're doing this. He has to take that pill I take." Nick replied against my ear. I felt the rough wool of a blanket in the hand that was still beside him. "And I'm in charge."
"You mean I am." Even as I said it, I suspected it wasn't true. I wasn't in charge at all.
"You can say no but I'm in charge." He growled softly, nipping my neck, and I inhaled as I felt Reece's fingers move up the inside of my thigh. Not Nick's fingers. I knew those rough fingers, rough from hard work, slight callouses on them. Nick's fingers were smooth, firm, nails clipped perfectly. Reece wasn't as obsessive about his hands. "Of both of you."
"He is." Reece agreed, his head moving back as he gazed down at me from the front, careful. Always so careful, never wanting someone in his pack to be hurt, and even now, even when he was probably so aroused it hurt, he had to check. "Then me."
Somehow I didn't mind that idea, being the last one to call the shots right now, as hard as it was to just let go. Trust them.
I inhaled slowly I felt his fingers reach the warmth between my legs, eyes in mine, watching me as he slowly explored. Nick nuzzled against my neck, understanding every sound I made, his free hand stroking down my back and trying to relax me. They were both prodding against me now, against my stomach and back, and ...it had nothing to do with the 'bitch in heat scent'. This realisation, that they were turned on by me and not the smell, it staggered me a little. Reece pushed a finger up inside me, I shut my eyes, body clutching hard around him, cheeks flushed.
"This another sample?"
"Till we get home." Reece moved closer, pulling his finger out, and pulled me against him. "Damn, Nick, look at her face. You sure I can't kiss her?" That finger brushed against my lips, my eyes open as he stared at them, parting them slightly.
"That's the rules. Only after."
Reece growled softly, going for my neck again, kissing that instead with the intensity that I suspected he'd hoped he could use for me. My head was tugged back and Nick kissed me instead, kissed me hard, his fingers tangling through my hair.
"Come on." Nick pulled me back from Reece, the blanket coming around me. "Don't want to finish before you've started."
He led me through the forest, my legs weak, Reece behind. I expected us to go to Stonehaven but instead, we'd changed near Forestwatch, the building empty, dark and quiet. Or it should have been. I saw flickering lights in there, candles, saw that Nick had apparently already planned this. No idea when. No desire to tell him off for leaving candles unattended. Just followed him into the small den, the room that was more or less safe, Reece close behind us.
Once we were in there, Reece shut the door, Nick shut the curtains, and I felt their gazes return to me. Nick moved me, turning me around to face Reece, pulling the blanket back off me. Now here, in the light, I saw Reece. Completely naked and completely aroused, his own eyes going down my body in return.
I suddenly felt self-concious, aware that my legs weren't totally shaved, that I had scars, I wasn't flawless or thin like others. And from the look on his face, that didn't matter to him in the slightest.
"You sure, Nick? Anne?" Reece suddenly looked up. "I ..."
"If Anne's not saying no, then she's saying yes. She's shy." Nick replied, pulling my arms back, gently restraining me all over again. He nuzzled my neck. "It's okay."
I wanted to tell him off. Instead, I nodded a fraction, shutting my eyes, trying to not compare the two. Reece was muscled like Nick, I'd noticed, a little hairier, just as tall. But his muscles were from actual need for fighting, where as Nick was more for 'good body' purposes, which meant they were a little more pronounced, a few more scars here and there, and ... was he larger? Or just wider? I didn't know. I didn't know if it mattered.
He must have seen the nod, because suddenly I was pinned again, two heartbeats on either side of me, two mouths against my skin, breathing harder as they gave up trying to be 'gentle'. Neither wanted to be gentle or slow, their instincts from the run probably screaming in their head.
With my back against Nick, and his arms around me, it was just seconds before Reece had my legs around his waist and pushed up hard, sinking into me, my body stretching to manage this- he was wider than Nick, different, I felt it even if I had been too shy to see it. I made a soft noise, breathing out, Reece's hips coming to meet mine as our bodies somehow fit, Nick's lips kissing my shoulder as he held me there.
"You okay?" Reece asked, and I nodded, opening my eyes as I stared at him. Our eyes met, him as stunned as I was, maybe even now barely able to believe what we were letting him in on, and suddenly he was kissing me hard against Nick's shoulder, ignoring Nick's soft hiss of 'Hey!'.
When he finally let me go, Reece pulled my arms around his neck, grinning over my shoulder at Nick who shook his head, and pulled my weight against him for a moment. I sunk deeper, body stretching, the near-pain of the new body under me increasing a little more... and then I felt Nick there, behind me, pushing himself against me with the help of something slippery. I clung to Reece, shutting my eyes again, mind blown by the feeling of Nick's body trying to get into that place he'd only attempted once before. No time to be nervous, or anxious, or anything, just squeezing my eyes shut as they both pushed inside me, Nick's breathing ragged now as my body squeezed him hard there too. He could barely get himself in and had to pause.
"Kiss her again for me." He hissed, his chin on my shoulder, breathing hard. "Relax, Liz."
Reece obliged, kissing me gently now, his own breathing harder. I kissed back, eyes shut, the pain of it nothing compared to... the incredible sense of being sandwiched and being so full. Willingly. Of two people I loved and trusted so differently. And my body was enjoying it, my muscles relaxing, Nick noticing and trying again.
"We'll be slow." Nick groaned softly, pushing up again, inching in slowly.
"Don't be." I pleaded, crying out as he did what I asked , as Nick literally pushed up suddenly. I fell back against his chest, Reece moving forward, his body moving back and then up again, fast, one of Nick's hands holding my legs up so that Reece could cup one of my breasts, groping it gently, exploring with his free hand.
It took them a few seconds to figure out a rhythm that actually matched, and by then I was almost pleading for the two of them to hurry up, almost, and when they did I wasn't able to speak anyway. They lasted only minutes, the three of us grinding against each other, my head and body surrounded by their groans and moans, and I felt Reece loose it fast, his body exploding against my thigh as Nick managed to hold on a second longer. Only a few seconds. I felt him join him, while my own body was still screaming for release, and I almost hit them both for finishing before me. I'd been just there, almost, and this was maddening. Torture. Not letting me … I growled, biting whoever it was close to my head, a deep annoyed growl that made Nick laugh.
I opened my eyes as Reece flopped, guilt all over his face, heard Nick laughing softly. "She hasn't..."
"Told you it's hard to last with her." Nick lowered me onto the ground. "We haven't forgotten you, Liz. We made sure we'd last longer..."
I noticed it, that neither of them had gotten 'small', even if they had finished. If anything they seemed more ...determined, prodding at my stomach and back, slippery with fluids. Nick turned me around to kiss me gently, his eyes shut. Reece's mouth found mine, seconds later, as Nick gave it up, rough and smooth hands stroking my body, groping and pressing into me.
"Let me have her on my own." Reece's eyes met Nick's eyes, and when he nodded, I was pushed down onto my back, Reece's thicker body pinning me down.
He was inside me in a second, groaning, lifting one of my legs up as Nick told him to. Reece wasn't gentle, he wasn't calm, his kisses were hard, body slamming against mine, his hard muscular hips grinding into mine, while he kept himself slightly above me so he could watch me. I cried out, the pain nothing compared to the sense of it, my hands on Reece's shoulders. It was like he'd finally lost control over his attempts to be gentle, nothing about this was gentle, it was rough, almost animal-like with Nick there, like his presence was provoking Reece to try and 'outdo' him. And it worked. I cried out, body exploding under him, Reece's own body claiming mine a few more times before he stiffened and released inside me before he could stop himself.
After that, Nick and Reece took turns, or they used me together. Used was the wrong word though. I wasn't there for them to use, they made it clear, they were both loving me... it didn't matter how rough or gentle they were, neither forgot I was there. I was more or less close to passing out, only to snap back to conciousness, stunned by ...more orgasms in a short space of time than that I'd had for months.
Nick was the last though. Reece had passed out beside us, totally spent, and Nick took his time 'finishing', mouth against mine the whole time, the two of us twice as possessive as we usually were. It was rough and tender all at once, the smell of our blood as I nipped him and bled a little myself, and when we released, it was together, moaning into each other's mouths, Nick's arms tightening around me.
He held me a long time, murmuring his love, and I did the same till we fell asleep, Nick flopping to my other side and sprawling out across me. Reece moved then, shifting closer, pulling a leg across him so he could snuggle me from the other side. Neither seemed to care about the other's nudity, even now.
"Did I hurt you?" Reece asked softly.
"Shut up, Reece, she's sleepy." Nick tried to hit across me at him, yawning.
"I'm good." I copied his yawn, Reece catching it, and laughed softly when he yawned too. "Don't we have to go back?"
"Three hours. Go to sleep." Nick nudged me, turning me around so my head was against his chest, Reece's weight coming to rest across my back.
We fell asleep, finally giving into our bodies need for rest, satisfied and fucked. Quite literally. All of us. It wasn't better than Nick, exactly, I had nights like this with him when we got a few nights away, but not for a very long time and I'd never been with another man. Not like this. It was better than the 'quick, do it now before the babies notice' quickies … any night of sex with Nick felt like this. Satisfying on every level, physical, emotional... but the only difference was that it hadn't just been Nick and I felt like I'd just had a 'first time' all over again, my hips were so sore.
I was the last to fall asleep, their breathing slowing before mine, eyes shutting against Nick's chest.
At some point, around three according to Nick's watch, I had to go to the bathroom though. I untangled myself from the two of them, limping to the bathroom, knowing I'd need a shower before we did anything about going back.
I sat there, staring at my legs, dried blood down the inside where someone had gotten a bit excited and a bit rough, probably Reece, but felt nothing except ...satisfaction. The two men I loved the most in the world, for slightly different reasons, and they'd both just tried to make me happy? How could I be unhappy about this?
I wasn't sure why I looked at the window after washing my hands. When I did, I wished I hadn't, horror and fear striking deep inside.
It was back. The thing. Monster. Alien. Whatever the fuck it was, it was back, and I suddenly could barely move. I hadn't turned on the light into the bathroom- I'd just used the hall light- and yet it was staring straight at me.
There were a lot of things I could do. But fear of this... it was impossible to not be afraid, the fear freezing me on the spot, heart racing as it came closer to the window. Floated closer. I didn't know. And when the hand hit the window, not just touched but hit, the glass shuddering, a low sound came from me, something that might have been a scream if I wasn't breathless with the fear it induced.
"Nick? Reece?" My voice came out, though it didn't sound like me, the voice strangled. The hand struck the window again as if it was trying to break it. No more badass werewolf woman. I was fucking scared and I didn't care if it was a spell or what. I tried again, tried louder, "Reece! Nick!"
No answer. I saw it strike the window again, harder, the glass shuddering and threatening to break. I smelt it, though I didn't know what it was, and even as a wolf I would have been terrified of this thing. I couldn't explain it- just that I was terrified of it. Nothing about it was natural.
"Anne?" Reece called, coming around, yawning, reaching out for me. "What's going o-... holy fuck, what is that." He yanked me closer, his own heart rate suddenly increasing, and I smelt the same sudden fear in him too.
It wasn't just me.
It struck the window, glass cracking, and Reece grabbed me harder, though neither of us could move now that the eyes were locked in ours.
"You see it too?" I managed to ask, shaking, teeth chattering. God. One more hit …
He swore, as the hand came back down at the half-broken glass, and the hand came straight through the window. He didn't take his eyes off it but he backed up fast, as it didn't just come through the window- once the glass was broken, it came through the wall as if there was no wall. I wasn't sure where the body was, it seemed to fade away, seemed to go dark as if it had its own shadow as apart of its physical structure.
An owl suddenly appeared, then another, then another, attacking it, claws at it, a low hiss coming from it as if gas was escaping. Then they vanished into the darkness of the night, as it was pulled back, suddenly nothing there.
Neither of us could move still, the fear paralysing us, Reece's skin clammy and his heart racing as fast as mine was.
"Do we have to go out there?"
"Out there?"
"We have to go back by five." I reminded Reece. He swore softly.
"I don't want to fucking go anywhere till it's light. Come on." He pulled me back, shutting the door,and the two of us jumped out of our skins as we turned around and saw a pale body coming at us.
It was Nick. Sneaking up on us from behind. Reece hit him, I nearly hyperventilated right then and there, not sure if I was relieved someone else had seen it or more freaked out than before.
"What's with you two?" Nick blinked at us, going from one to the other, then to the door we'd shut. He headed for it and Reece grabbed his hand.
"Can we get into the den? Please?" I pleaded. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if that was good enough, the basement sounded fantastic. "Or the basement? How about that?"
Reece was as spooked as I was and he dragged me and Nick downstairs into the lit den, his body shaking, mouth opening and shutting as if he would think of something to say and then scrap that in favour of thinking of something else.
"What was it?" Nick asked and neither of us spoke.
A hoot made Reece flinch. He hadn't let go of me, hand clutching my arm, he only let go long enough to pull a blanket around my shoulders. I'd seen Reece do a lot of things, especially in the past few hours, avoid injuries, get upset, get angry... but get scared? Big time scared? So scared he struggled to talk?
If I wasn't equally as scared I would have laughed.
"What's going on?" Nick grabbed Reece's shoulder, as if he was tempted to shake him. The amusement was gone now.
"Something was in the bathroom. Or it was trying to get in."
"What?"
"Some thing, Nick. Shit. I've never been so scared in my life." Reece was still shaking so I slid closer, wrapping the blanket around him, his arms grabbing onto me for dear life. "It broke the window. No, Ni-"
I spun around, but Nick had gone back upstairs, clearly intending on finding whatever the hell had come.
"It might have been a spell." I tried, Reece's arms tightening when I was tempted to go after Nick, his heart still racing. Every instinct in my body felt like that thing was wrong. From the sound it made, to the way it didn't have a scent, and that I didn't hear anything from it besides the hiss. Nothing. Not a heart, not a pair of lungs, nothing. Yet it was physical enough to smash a fucking window.
"That both of us saw?" Reece muttered. He sat down in the small sofa there, pulling me into his lap. "Maybe. Fuck. I don't know. It smashed your window."
Nick returned and I relaxed, making him sit with us, making him sit close enough so I could hold onto him. "Window's broken. I saw a few owls."
We both flinched.
"We got to walk back to Stonehaven. Through the forest." Reece muttered. He did not look keen.
"Naked." I added, though that shouldn't have mattered. Our clothing was near Stonehaven. I shivered, felt the arms tighten again, and tried to ignore the window. I knew this was my home, more or less, but right now it scared me more than any other place. "That thing … I've never been scared like that either."
"We better go. I don't want to stay here." Reece muttered. But he didn't move. Just sat there, with me half on his lap and half on Nick's lap, staring at the window.
"If it was a spell, it means we were attacked." I muttered. That made him tense more, maybe cut the fear down a little, and Reece blinked as he tried to get a hold on himself.
"We have to get back then." Nick stood up. He helped me stand, helped Reece stand, and vanished into the laundry. He came back with some clothing that hadn't been rescued and offered it to us.
We dressed in the odd mix of clothing, Reece's eyes catching on the blood on my leg before I could hide it properly, but he was so freaked out that he didn't say a word. I tried to get over it, tried to force the fear back, tried to find that stuff I used when I had to be strong, and found myself just as bad as I was seconds before as we stepped out into the darkness. It didn't help that I was afraid of the dark, though usually fine with others, didn't help that Reece had been as scared as I'd been.
The night was silent though. Really silent. In fact, I wasn't sure I'd ever heard it this quiet, there wasn't a peep from anywhere near us. I jumped when I felt something touch my hand but it was just Reece, sliding his hand into mine, as his head swung around. It was Nick who was being the tough one right now, not a role he usually took on, but he lead the path and we followed into the crowding trees.
I had never been afraid on this land before. Maybe that was because no one had seen the thing before.
Nick glanced back, grabbing my other hand, and some part of me wanted to shove them both back, wanted to go 'I'm fine', and refuse their help.
When an owl flew across our path, Nick jumping back and Reece swearing, I gave up on that idea and said something about hurrying. Nick took one look at my bad foot, glanced at Reece, both of them apparently so buddy buddy now that they could share an idea without speaking. Because I was suddenly offered a back and Nick carried me while Reece moved ahead.
"Tell us if you hear anything." Nick said softly. His voice was too loud, too strange in the night.
"There's no sounds. At all." I muttered, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing the back of it as he hurried a little more. I didn't have to tell him that this was a very unusual thing for the bush. Nick had grown up in these woods. He knew how noisy they got to a werewolf's ears.
We didn't talk for the rest of the trip. Nick moved fast, Reece beside me, and quite literally the second we crossed over the fence between the two properties, suddenly things changed. Sounds returned. Animals, sleeping birds, nocturnal animals moving through the bush, and a crack of thunder that made all three of us jump. I had to get off Nick's back to get over, staring up, and the rain suddenly poured down on us with a kind of fury that took my breath away, the sky lighting up with flashes and thunder as if it'd been going for hours.
"What the fuck?" Reece spun around and nearly fell over. I did as well and wished I hadn't.
It was there. Maybe fifty metres away, in the bush, but it was there. And it wasn't raining there. Like the storm was JUST on this side of the fence, right down to the clouds, like nothing wanted to be in that land right now. Not the animals, not us, not even the weather. I saw it though. One sign of life in there- one of those owls again. Nick saw it too and I saw the same irrational terror flood into his face, as he grabbed me and Reece backwards.
We jogged the rest of the way, or rather they did, while I had to be piggybacked, Reece doing it this time as Nick had gone into a kind of shock. Maybe he thought we'd lost our minds.
Stonehaven was safe though. Nick and Reece checked, while I used the crutches to hurry around the ground floor, sniffing and listening and checking. Stonehaven was exactly like we'd left it, nothing unusual, kids all asleep, Jeremy and Jamie asleep in his room.
We met downstairs in the newer half and sat there, clutching drinks, all looking like we'd seen ghosts. I wondered if we had. It was lucky Jamie was here. Or was it? I didn't know any more.
"So you've seen it before?"
"I thought it was a spell." I muttered. Drank the cocoa, stared at the table, still cold even with the fire going.
"Maybe it is." But Nick wasn't looking convinced either. "It couldnt be anything else. Did you see the way the clouds..."
"And those fucking owls. I hate owls." Reece shuddered, shut his eyes, then opened them as he stared at me. "You got hurt."
"Huh?" I had forgotten about it, wasn't sure what he was saying, not till his eyes went down. "Oh. I forgot about that."
"She did?" Nick shifted closer, sliding the skirt I'd put on up, but he didn't look all that concerned. "It's okay. It happens sometimes."
"It does?" Reece stared at him like he was mad, like it should never happen. "Maybe you should see a doctor."
"Don't spoil it." Nick was just as glad for the change in subject, I realised, just as glad to be back onto a topic he was confidant and happy about. He grinned at me, a weak shaky grin, his own jaw shaking even now. "You had fun. We saw it."
"I might have." I flushed, as Reece's eyes locked onto me, suddenly really embarrassed.
"That's a yes, can we do that again." Nick translated. Nudged me, the grin gaining strength when I didn't argue.
"I don't want to hurt you." Reece wasn't smiling.
Nick rolled his eyes, pulled me into his lap, and bit my neck gently. I shut my eyes as his hand slid up, flushing, no dim candles to hide my expression now. It was bright and Reece was watching every single reaction I had to Nick. Fingers pressed inside me, Nick's eyes in mine, and I saw in Reece's eyes that desire flare back up. He actually stood up when I heard Jeremy. Coming downstairs.
"Jeremy."
"Fucking hell." Reece swore, almost banging his cup down, flopping back. "Don't tease me like that, Nick."
Nick grinned, pulled his fingers out of me, and I stood up.
"I need a shower anyway. I'm a mess."
"We know." Nick agreed. "Go on. We better tell Jeremy what happened."
I didn't want to go alone. I did anyway, I knew I was safe here ,I didn't know how to explain it. Suddenly I wondered how much of that night, when the twins had been taken, just how much of that had been fake.
It made no sense.
The shower helped ease the anxiety and stress though, and eased sore muscles as well, I was amused to see just how much 'damage' they'd done. I'd need to wear a scarf or something. At least the amusement was helping ease the shock away, about what we'd just seen, and I started to wonder if we were under some spell. Maybe the place was being robbed again. Maybe they hadn't wanted to tangle with us, so they scared us away, and I knew that 'visions' could be shared. That had worked on the ex-alpha and myself far too well.
When I went down, now dressed, Jeremy said more or less the same thing. Then he told us off for being IN Forestwatch anyway, as we weren't sure it was safe after the fire, particularly after part of the roof had collapsed. He looked at me, as he said this, like he was disappointed in me. I was tempted to say Nick was the adult here... but I doubt that would have helped my case much.
The question as to what we were doing there, Nick grinned, Reece looked a bit sheepish, and Nick said something about sex and sleeping, without elaborating.
"Speaking of them," I tried to change the subject and saw Jeremy freeze, "Did you find a naked necromancer in your room?"
Jeremy blinked, his cheeks may have gone a shade warmer, and then he smiled somewhat. "I may have."
"Jamie's here? Can we ask her?" Nick sat up a bit more.
"She's asleep and may need to sleep in for a while longer." Jeremy shook his head, glancing at the clock, not even six yet. "I needed a drink."
It worked though, he stopped telling us off about Forestwatch, and instead let Nick and Reece go upstairs to have showers of their own while he checked the foot. I'd left it uncovered, the shower had more or less soaked the bandage, and Jeremy seemed happy with it.
We put the news back on, curling up near each other, Jeremy's arm going across my shoulder as we watched early morning stuff.
"News from Elena?"
"There's no clear trail. It's leading them away from Miami. The factory you visited is empty now. There's a number of potiental sites right across America so they're taking it one spot at a time." Jeremy replied softly. "But they have some better ideas about where it's made from what was left over. Cortez has taken the remaining belongings to test them."
"That's good news, yeah?" I asked, head flopping against a shoulder, feeling him nod as his shoulder jerked.
"It's very good news. It might be over faster than we expected. Elena and Clayton have just got to keep up their hunt for the time being." He replied, voice soft, and I felt him dig into his pocket and hand me something. "This is for you."
I looked at the piece of paper, a tiny rune thing, a bit like a mandala or sacred geometry. It was like the one on Jamie's leg, I realised, and I'd never thought about where she'd gotten it.
"Did you draw this?"
He nodded and I admired it. People didn't know how hard it was to draw stuff like this. "It's beautiful."
"You could tattoo it." Jeremy suggested, opening one eye, amused as he saw I actually liked it. "I've tried to convince Clayton and Elena to do it but they lost theirs ..."
"Might be nice to have something on me that I put there willingly. I'll think about it." I wasn't going to loose it though. I loved stuff like this, loved to draw it, paint it, and now Jeremy had drawn me another thing? How awesome! I slid it into my pocket and resumed cuddle time in front of the TV.
I fell asleep, barely waking when Nick got onto the other side an snuggled against me, Reece against the couch near my legs. Nothing sexual any more, this was just the regular pack thing, Jeremy now in on it without having a clue what we'd gotten up to earlier. He would have, if he'd have been cured, and I wondered how we'd explain it when everyone was back to normal. Or would we just pretend as if it wasn't a big deal?
Falling asleep again, I woke some hours later, Nick shaking me gently.
"Sorry, thought you might want to see this." He smiled, kissing my forehead, and I turned to the TV.
Something about a fire. Jeremy was gone, Reece was now the warm body on the other side, and it took me a few seconds to really get why Nick meant that. A fire in a warehouse. Chemicals. Miami outskirts or something.
"Elena?"
"Don't know. It might be a different one. Jeremy's gone to call her." Nick shrugged.
There was something briefly about the dog epidemic again, and about hysterical 'sympathy sickness' reported by psychologists over the past few days in dog owners, and then they went on about that for ten minutes. What to do if your dog was sick, who to see, what to do, and so on. An expert claiming it was nature's way of dealing with how America had too many homeless dogs or something. I wasn't sure what they were an expert of.
A car pulled up outside and I sat up straighter, yawning.
"What is it?" Nick lifted his head from the couch. "Breakfast? More sex?" I nearly snorted when I saw Reece's head lift slightly then. What had I done?
"A car. I'll check." I was the only one who was really dressed.
I went outside and the smell, coming straight at me from the open window, as the familiar man got out... It was impossible to resist, I practically ran for Antonio, much to his shock. "Antonio!" I jumped at him, hugging the big guy, and he laughed as he hugged me back tight. I didn't realise how much I'd missed him. "You're back. How is Lillian?"
"Lily is off the ventilator again and is getting better. She wanted me to come back, see Nick, and take some new photos." He smiled, a tired tense smile, but I doubted he'd be here if she wasn't improving. "How is your foot?"
"I can put weight on it again." And run, apparently, when I saw someone I'd missed! Antonio grinned at me, clearly happy to be here, squeezing me again before le lowered me back down. Nick grabbed him, the two hugging. "Nick."
"Is she okay?" Nick released his dad and stepped back, arm over me.
"Improving. They think she's over the worst of it." He breathed in and out slowly, eyes shut. "Jer said Elena's going after the mutt with the cure now. I thought I should be here. Babies up yet?"
I glanced at Nick's watch. "If they're on time, the toddlers will be more or less be awake within the hour. The twins could wake any second, we don't know, they slept through for the first time."
"Congratulations." He smiled and glanced up as it started to rain again. "We better go inside."
We headed in, Jeremy not looking surprised at all to see Antonio, already cooking in the kitchen.
I heard the twins, heard them crying, as if they'd heard us. Not likely but I headed up anyway.
Or I was going to. A car pulled up outside.
Jeremy blinked as we saw someone get out that we'd never expected to see here. "Is that..."
It was Rose. Demetruis's mother.
"I'll wake Jamie and we'll make sure the twins are okay. You go deal with that. All three of you." Jeremy's eyes went from me, to Nick, to Antonio. This was a family problem.
We nodded and I led the way back outside as she slid out of the expensive car, body guards already waiting, their eyes hidden under the dark glasses.
"I have come to talk." She said, as she stood there, the body guards on either side of her. Rose was tiny, maybe five feet tall, but she was radiating power. Confidence. No wonder why she'd bugged Clayton. "Hello, Nicholas."
"We don't want your words." Nick narrowed his eyes, arms tightening around Rose, and she gazed at him. Whatever points she'd won with him while he was her grandson's captive, they were gone now, probably imploded all over the place when she refused to give the twins back.
"To explain then. No custody battle. I will talk, then you can speak back or ask me to leave. I will not take your children. I have only come to apologise and explain my behaviour. It was ... hasty."
Antonio's hand brushed across my arm, moving to my other side, his calm energy calming me down as well. I breathed out slowly, releasing the anger in me, and saw Nick relax somewhat too.
"Come in, explain, and then leave." Antonio was calm, voice soft, but there was a hint of a threat there. One I'd never heard from him before. "But only on the understanding that you're not leaving with my grandson or my granddaughter."
"I understand that." Rose nodded. She followed him inside, only one of her body guards with her, and we sat down in the kitchen.
I got tea while she sat there quietly, trying to not look around, Nick helping while Antonio waited patiently. She started talking before I finished.
"I come to apologise. This was not what my family was like."
"Your family?"
"One of the four powerful Cabal families. This was not how it was when I was young. We made mistakes and now your family pays for each one." She looked down at her ring.
"No, your husband's the heir." Antonio said, softly, that tense threat back. "We were informed."
"No, it is not my husband that is the family. I am it." She met my eyes, a soft look, a tired look. Really tired. "I am not in possession of any skills. Neither is my husband. My father was one of the Cabal families, he ran it, but when the depression came, it hurt our family very badly. For a number of years we struggled to pretend nothing had changed when we were becoming closer to ruin. But they had my younger brother and believed he would save us."
I didn't speak, just put the food out for her and the tea, and she served herself before I could offer to do it for her. She was a stubborn old woman, I could see that closer up, maybe even hot tempered.
"You must excuse me. A life time of people doing things for me has me now determined to do them for myself as long as I can. But back to the story. My little brother was, as the world calls it now, not safe. Mentally ill. He would hurt others and laugh and then he would lock himself away for days and cry." She spoke so calmly, as she sipped the tea, her eyes on the drink instead of on me. "My father believed it to be normal for a boy of his age to be ... temperamental. He viewed many of my brother's cruel sides as an assist to the family, believing he would save our family from the ruin it was falling into. It was too much pressure and he threw himself off a bridge when he turned eighteen. I was only seven. And so suddenly, my family, one of the last great Cabal families, suddenly had no son, no sorcerer, and were about to be bankrupt. Something had to be done."
Rose didn't speak for a while, just twisted the ring on her finger, some antique thing I had to guess that looked like it had been around a very long time. Then she spoke, "And so they broke the first rule we must never break, may have even been the ones responsible for our exposure to this government. They sought out my husband's family. One of the richest in America, selling medicine and creating new medicines, and exposed themselves to my husband's parents. They offered to adopt him and make him one of the most powerful men in the sorcerer world. I would be adopted by my husband's family. My father would use his magic to make my husband look as if he was their son. He was the same age as my brother, sixteen, and no one would be wiser for it. Both families would gain- they would have knowledge of magic and would be allowed to study it from us, in secret, and we would have a heir again and financial security off profits made from the research. I was married to him at thirteen when he was twenty three."
I breathed out slowly there, shutting my eyes, unable to picture that.
"Yes, today this is shocking. It was not so unusual then. I looked a few years older and it went without a problem. My new husband was not patient, he was used to having whatever he wanted, and this now included his wife. I had my first child a year later. I had six sons, one who was still born, and one daughter who died as a baby. He was jealous of our sons. They were sorcerers, like their grandfather, and he would hit them often if they showed signs of it." She tightened her lips. "If I defended them, he would beat me instead, which upset my children, so I tried to stay quiet and keep them quiet. Then they started to die. Accidents, it was always called, but it never seemed right. Demetruis had many close calls. Saw his younger brother die in front of his eyes, and saw my father killed in a similar way, and was never able to believe it was an accident. Out of all of my children, he alone survived, and brought me home two grandsons. I had never been happier to see any baby in my life."
She smiled, weakly, and I saw it. Grief. "My last son and his sons. My husband got so sick that his brain was damaged and I took over the family. This is a role I waited a very long time to take and I had much to prove. Women still are not seen as powerful. This is changing, now, but it was a different world. I had to focus on that and less on my son and his children. Years vanished. Then, I hear that my grand son has started experiments, and my son tells me that these will change the world for the better. So I do not worry. I trust Demetruis. I then hear that girls have been hurt and that my grand son has been arrested. You do not know how angry I was with you for what you did to him, until I went to court and heard what he had done for myself, and now ... Demetruis assured me had had no idea, and was apart of arresting his sons. He disowned them. He was a good boy. He was always a good man. But his sons hurt him terribly. It brought on the madness I saw in my older brother. At first I pretended I did not see it, at first I believed he was grieving, but then he grew worse. I heard rumours."
Rose went quiet again, shutting her eyes, pain across her face for a moment. "It was the right thing, to disown his sons, for Demetruis to do. And yet I had only Demetruis again. No grand children. It broke our hearts to find out how they behaved. To find out that they were copies of their grandfather, my husband, right down to their tastes in women. It was the right thing to do, to disown them, to remove the temptation. When he told me that you had agreed to have his child, I felt some happiness again, I felt some hope. A woman werewolf, changing the male world, bringing me children? I did not know he forced you to agree. I did not want to believe that he really had started to get sick as his uncle had. Demetruis is my last son. He cares for me so well. Loves me. I cannot believe he is ever like his father or his uncle. I could not believe it. Not even when he was arrested. I couldn't give you those children back. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't give up the last children I have in this world."
I shut my eyes now, breathing out. I had to admit it. I felt for her now, I really did, if all but Dominic or Reece died, and then they ... I wouldn't know how I'd do it. I'd rather super glue them to me than give them up.
"You are a mother now. You know how strong our love goes. We love them, we raise them, and then my son and his sons do terrible things and I must face it. I have lost all my sons. My husband lies there, but his mind is gone, and I have no family now. The last two innocent faces in my world... how could I give them up too? I am sorry for not giving them to you. I know you are their mother. I just ask that you please, don't cut me out too, let them have a grandmother. I know you two will be their parents. Not my son. I would not allow it after finding out how he brought them into the world."
"I won't cut you out." I said it, quietly, Nick's hand tightening on my hand.
"You sure?" Antonio said, softly from beside me. "You would let them stay with her?"
"No. I can't be sure they're safe yet. There's a lot of problems out there. A group that want to create a war using them as soldiers. I need to be sure that they are safe at all times." I added, as my eyes met her eyes, now teary. "I can't let them stay over with you yet. Not yet. They have to stay here with their pack. Everyone here will protect them."
She nodded sadly. "I understand. All I ask is that I am known to them. That I see them. I have only these children left in the world. I love Deme, I love him with every fibre, that will never change. But I cannot allow him to harm my grand children. I will do anything to protect them."
It was a bit cold, some small voice in me warned, but I shrugged it off. Nodded. She stood up, reaching for a small square of fabric.
"I will contact you soon about visits. Please, if you are in need of anything, you can call me. I am able to do much. Pull strings."
"Can you get the treatment for us? Or point us in the direction of who's taken over?" I asked before I could stop myself. Any assistance with this, while Clayton and Elena were struggling, following ghosts, and leads and shit all over the entire damn country, any assistance was welcome. Even Lucas' father had nothing new for us.
"Or in the direction of Demetruis himself." Antonio added, standing also. "If he has become mentally ill, as you say, he may be safer in custody."
Rose nodded slowly. "I will look into it. I have contacts that will know more. I will attempt to get you all the treatment while I find out more about it, without any addictive additions. The last thing I need is for the protectors of my grand son to be weakened."
We watched her go, Jeremy coming down with one baby in arms as he watched her leave, and I sighed, relaxing, leaning against Nick.
Somehow, even though I'd more or less empathised with what she'd gone through, I felt uneasy. Maybe this was to be expected with her family history.
Nick kissed my head, glancing over to Jeremy and Rose in his arms, muttering something about how Reece and Rose now needed nicknames so it was less confusing for him. Maybe he was right.
"I think you're right. They need middle names." I agreed, Nick blinking as if he hadn't actually experted me to agree, but … somehow, it bothered me that Rose had her grandmother's name. Or a name that matched anyone from that family. And Reece was going to get confusing. "I suppose I was in a hurry. I thought I'd never see them again."
"Can I name them?" Nick asked, quietly, his eyes meeting mine.
I nodded and he snuggled the baby against him, gentle, kissing the tiny ear there as he gazed down at her. It was another way he could lay claim to them, I realised, another way he could make them his.
Jamie came down with Reece, glancing around at us. "Did it go okay?" She asked. I wondered how much she'd slept, the shadows under her eyes suggesting maybe not so much as she should have. Jeremy brushed past her, hand running along her back, as she offered the little boy to me and I took him, love flooding through me as he yawned up at me.
"It went fine. Jamie, can we as-" Nick started, but Jeremy shook his head.
"Let her have some more sleep first, Nick."
"I'm not sure if I'll get back to sleep." Jamie said but she yawned and let him lead her back upstairs anyway.
Reece caught my eye, from the doorway, and I went across to the little porta-crib in the living room so that I could talk to big Reece. My lips twitched at that title. I followed him into the backyard.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just … can I come sleep with you guys tonight?" He grinned sheepishly, awkward, reaching out for my hand.. "I ...haven't slept like that for a long time. Without nightmares. I'm going back to New York tomorrow so..."
Complicated. Yep. I was right about that. Nick came out then, and Reece repeated the question, making Nick look as amused as I was anxious.
"Yeah, of course." He reached out for my hand, drawing me against him, nuzzling against my neck. "Work?"
Reece nodded. I leaned against Nick, shutting my eyes, aware that this 'threesome' thing might take some time for us to get into a routine with.
"You don't have to do anything with me tonight. I'd just like to be around you two. Before I go back."
"You don't want to?" Nick asked, softly, and I opened one eye. I'd never seen Reece like this, awkward, unsure of himself, he was always cocky, confidant, and sometimes a bit stupid. Now he seemed to have no clue what to do with himself.
"I'm happy to do anything. Just putting that out there. Come here." Reece moved over, wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling against my neck as Nick relaxed.
We separated when Antonio came out, pretending as if we'd been doing nothing, though I had this vague sense that he'd caught sight of something. He looked a bit puzzled and asked me if I was all right. When I nodded, he blinked, tried to shrug it off, and I wondered if we were planning on keeping this secret or not. It wasn't really anyone's business but... it was another thing I hadn't thought of before.
The day passed, inching by, with Jamie remaining upstairs with Jeremy 'sleeping'. We played games with the kids, cleaned, fed, cleaned, cleaned a little more, chased the kids down and made the toddlers change several times, then cleaned their arms, faces and hair, changed diaper in breaks between each of these things, and I had to admit I was glad Antonio had showed up right now. Reece was better with the older kids, he took them out for 'crocodile hunting', so the three of us could concentrate on the little ones.
Elena and Clayton, apparently were in another state now. Again, no word to us what state, and again, I wish I knew so I could ...follow. Or something. I could follow without stealing their glory, couldn't I? All I knew was that Demetruis was leading them around all over the place. Someone had given the mad man a credit card and he was using it.
I crawled into bed ahead of the other two, shutting my eyes, still damp from the shower. This time, with the warning Reece had given us, I'd thought to shave. He didn't seem to care earlier, okay, but I was still self-concious about this 'arrangement'.
Reece beat Nick to it- Nick was still struggling with the triplets- and crawled in beside me. The twins were asleep nearby and he glanced at them, suddenly concerned.
"They're not going to be traumatised by seeing you snuggle me." I muttered. "Come here."
"If I don't want just a snuggle?" He glanced down at me, crawling into bed in his boxers anyway, making sure he went on the side I gestured to. The side Nick didn't sleep on.
"Then keep quiet and don't wake them. You don't want just snuggles?"
"Do you?"
I laughed then, sudden, covering my mouth at his face. We were behaving like a couple of silly teenagers, who weren't sure if the other wanted or liked kisses or cuddles or ...other things... bumbling and messing up all over the place. He grinned, relaxing, flopping down against my side under the sheets.
"How about we wait for Nick and try to not fall asleep." I yawned, shutting my eyes, curling up on my side.
Nick woke me an hour later, Reece asleep against my side, kissing my neck gently as he gazed across me to Reece. "Like him?"
"You know I do." I muttered.
"Training him. He'll be one hell of a lover soon." He grinned at me, leaning over to push at Reece, tipping him off the bed. Reece swore, I grabbed at him, making sure he didn't crash to the ground and wake the twins.
"Shh." I hissed, Reece grinning as he re-balanced himself on the bed. Nick didn't think somet-
Wait, where were the twins?
"They're with Dad. He's struggling to sleep and wanted to be near them." Nick answered my question without me having any need to ask it. "Let me beat up Reece. Reece, what are you thinking?"
"Last night with you two. Could be a while. Weeks." He knelt there, already 'ready', and I felt a hand trace over me. "If Anne isn't too sore."
Apparently I wasn't. Within seconds, we were back where we'd left off that morning, muffled moans trying to keep it from the rest of the house- and probably failing miserably-, Nick whispering 'tips' to Reece as it went on. He lasted longer, did do better, and to my amusement when we'd all found a release under the sheets, skin slippery with sweat, the taste of them on my lips as they flopped, it was Nick who passed out first, like it had exhausted him.
I flopped onto my back, the ache back, Reece checking and frowning as he found that they'd re-started the bleeding.
"Oh, shut up." I muttered, as he opened his mouth. "I'm fine. Stop panicking over blood."
He grinned weakly, leaning down to brush the damp hair off my sweaty face, kissing lips already well and truly bruised from Nick. "You're the boss."
"Shh." Nick groaned, opening one eye, prodding at Reece's face. "Sleep time. Corrupt my wife another night with illusions of her being the boss." I elbowed him and he grinned, adding, "Kidding. You're the boss. Where's my pay?"
I kissed him, twisting over to curl so I faced him, Reece cuddling up to my back and his tickly legs curling my legs across. "There. Now shh. Sleep time."
Shutting my eyes, I let my body ease me down into the peaceful sleep that always came after being so loved, still somewhat in awe of the fact that I was currently being 'loved' by someone beside my husband. It was complicated, it was a problem, and I heard him lean up from behind to stare at me as he thought I was asleep.
"I have to go." Reece muttered, against my ear, so soft that I had to struggle to hear him even with my hearing. "I'm sorry. I'm confused. I ...don't know what I feel for you now. Fuck."
He shifted back, unaware of my heart suddenly racing, and I felt him slide out of the bed and leave the room, Reece's breathing a little faster all over again. Not with desire now. With something else.
Dismay and regret filled me, as he shut the door, and I opened my eyes to see his shadow fade down the hallway. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This was what I was afraid of. Open the door to sex, affection, the deepest levels of intimacy and trust... and it opened up a lot of other things too. Maybe things that had been ignored. It wasn't that sex 'made you fall in love'. It was that it made you open up things that might have already been buried or confuse you.
I sat up, sleep gone from my mind, and sat there in the dark, hands clenched hard on the sheets, still tasting Reece's mouth against mine. Shit. Now what did I do? There was no guidebook for this.