Marked by Death (The Godhunter, Book 4) (27 page)

“
You do love me,” his face transformed and he was suddenly wrapped around me.

“
No… I don’t know,” I pushed against him till he fell back. “I’m not sure what I feel for you, it’s all twisted up with what you did to me. I know I don’t like to think of you sad and alone but I'm so angry at you. I truly want you to find happiness and love. I just don’t want to be that love. I don’t see how I can.”

“
Forgive me, Miw-sher,” his eyes held me as tightly as his hands. “Give me that at least and truly mean it. Free me from this guilt.”

“
Will you promise to never try to hurt me or anyone I love, ever again?” Part of me felt silly for saying it but I wanted all the reassurances I could get in that moment because I was about to do the unthinkable. I was about to forgive him.

“
I never want to hurt you again,” he smiled humorlessly, “but as far as your wolf, if he attacks me first, I’ll not sit there and let him kill me.”

“
Just promise not to start anything,” I shook my head.

“
Alright, Miw-sher,” he kissed my hand, “I won’t provoke any of your people. Will you give me your forgiveness now?”

“
Or attack any of them.”

“
Or attack any of them,” he agreed.

“
Or help anyone else attack them or provoke them.”

“
Or help anyone else attack them or provoke them,” he started to smile.

“
Fine then, I guess I forgive you.” There, I said it. Whoa, I said it. Why had I said it?

“
Thank you,” he bent his head over our joined hands and then stood. “Now you can release your anger for me and when you do, you’ll truly know what you feel for me.”

Oh shit. I hadn’t thought about it like that.

“Anubis,” I started to tell him it didn’t matter what I felt, I was in love with Trevor, but he waved his hand.

“
No, don’t protest now, just process,” he smiled brightly, a smile filled with too much hope for our hopeless relationship. “When you’re ready to speak with me, send Horus, I’ve given him instructions on how to enter Duat. He’ll find me and I’ll come to you.” He turned and walked out the door, leaving me stunned and speechless.

“
Minn Elska?” Trevor was there in a second. “Are you okay? He didn’t try anything, did he? He’s not out of the club yet, I can go get him.”

“
No,” I took his hand, “let him go. It’s over. He wanted my forgiveness and I gave it.”

“
That’s it?” He looked suspicious and I didn’t blame him.

“
That’s it,” I nodded and met Kirill’s gaze over his shoulder. My black lion raised one eyebrow at me. “He wants to talk to me after I’ve worked through my anger with him but I don’t have to. I don’t have to see him ever again.”

“
Why would he…” Trevor looked back at Kirill and they exchanged a meaningful look before he turned back to face me. “He thinks you’ll want him, if you don’t have your anger to hide behind, doesn’t he?”

“
Kind of,” I shrugged as he growled and stood, anger shouting from his every movement. “It doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“
Well of course it isn’t true,” he whirled back around, “is it?”

“
No!”

“
Well okay then.”

“
Okay!”

“
Fine.”

“
Fine,” I started to smile. “Can we go home now?”

“
Sure,” he helped me to my feet but instead of leading me out, he pulled me into a fierce hug. “I love you so much.”

“
I love you too.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Tima,” Kirill’s hesitant voice pulled me out of sleep.

“
Kirill,” I smiled and shifted over in the bed so he could climb in.

He looked over at Trevor’s heavily sleeping form, then over to the spot I patted. His nostrils flared and my cheeks flamed as I realized he was scenting the sex I’d shared with Trevor before bed.

“I’m sorry,” I started to scoot out of bed, grabbing a blanket to cover me. “We’ve become so close and I’ve missed you, it just seemed natural to invite you in.”

“
I’m flattered, Tima,” Kirill touched my arm and his eyes widened.

“
What is it?”

He was leaning in toward me and suddenly his scent surrounded me, wild and rich, clean cat and warm man. I reeled, my lioness rising up inside me and purring. Kirill caught me, the sheet falling, and as I pressed my breasts against his bare chest, I realized it was the first time my lioness had shown pleasure since I’d been taken by Anubis. She’d grown in strength, or maybe I’d just forgotten how strong she was, but the liquid heat of her desire poured through me and left me breathless.

I stared up at Kirill’s deep blue eyes and there was nothing else for me. There was only Kirill, my black lion, my Ganza, the hand that holds the dagger to protect me, the hands that were holding me. His hair was hanging in loose waves around me and I was falling back, letting it surround me as he covered me.

“
Tima,” he groaned as he lost the battle and lowered his mouth to mine.

I kissed him like I’d never be able to kiss another man again, like the last human touch I’d ever receive would be from his lips. I was starving for him, beyond caring that my wolf lay beside us, sleeping after making love to me. Some small part of my mind was screaming but it was lost in the lioness’ roar.

He felt so perfect in my hands, all silk and steel, the wet strength of his tongue on mine. The taste of vodka and mint in my mouth. His pants were gone and he was pressed intimately against my own naked flesh. How had that happened? It made me as hot and wet as his tongue, eager for something that a part of me knew would destroy my whole world.

There was movement beside us, and then Trevor’s hand was on my face. I broke the kiss to rub my cheek into his palm and a rumbling growl filled the night. My pulse sped up at the sound, a display of desire not anger. What was going on?

Kirill backed up, so Trevor could lean in to kiss me and my excitement skyrocketed. Kirill’s mouth was at my breast, his hands coasting down my sides. Their scents mingled, calling to both my wolf and my lioness. They were rubbing together inside me, sending shivers through my skin. Trevor was sliding me against him, over his chest, till I was resting against his hard body as he leaned around to kiss me. His hands replaced Kirill’s mouth as Kirill slipped lower, licking my skin as he went.

Trevor broke the kiss and I had a moment of clarity, a second to utter a shocked sound, before Trevor started biting my neck and sending zings of sensation down to my toes. I moaned and relaxed into his embrace, the hard evidence of his excitement pressed against my back. He kneaded my breasts as he found the spot beneath my ear that I loved him to kiss.

Kirill’s lips covered me in another sweet spot at the same time and the combined sensations sent me bucking off the bed. Kirill’s arms wrapped around my legs and he settled his mouth firmly over my core, licking at me ferociously as the silk of his hair caressed my inner thighs. Trevor scooted down and rubbed himself between the cheeks of my ass and the friction at both front and back was almost too much to bear. I whimpered and Kirill increased the speed of his kiss.

I screamed, my legs shaking as my men sent me over the edge. I barely felt it when they turned me over but the pressure of Kirill pushing against my slick center was too sweet to ignore. I opened my eyes and found myself snuggled close to Trevor’s stomach. My hands smoothed over his tight abs and around his waist. He was hard against my chest and my attentions made him pulse deliciously.

“Minn Elska,” he groaned and shifted his hips.

“
Trevor,” I looked up at him, a hard question in my face.

“
I want this,” he rubbed into me again. “I don’t know why, but I want this.”

“
Please don’t hate me later,” I felt Kirill’s hands strong on my hips, positioning me.

“
I could never hate you,” he leaned down to kiss me on my forehead. “I love you, Vervain.”

“
I love you too,” I groaned as Kirill rubbed into me, barely parting my flesh.

“
Tima, please,” his voice was more a breath. “Decide… now.”

I looked up at Trevor, then shifted back and up onto my elbows, so that I hovered over Trevor’s pulsing length. “Yes,” I surrounded Trevor and Kirill at the same time, both men groaning out their desire simultaneously. 

My mind was reeling. Trevor was hard and sweet in my mouth, my hands stroking his chest and his legs quivering around my arms. Kirill was sliding maddeningly slow in and out of me, going to his full length every time and pressing his hips tight to me at the height of the strokes.

I was starting to shake again and Kirill’s hands steadied me while Trevor slid his arms down between mine, so he could knead my breasts. Trevor was thrusting up at me and I had to slide a hand down to hold him steady. Kirill’s pace became faster as well, mimicking Trevor’s until I found the perfect rhythm. The sounds of sex and growling men were all around me, while their bodies filled mine, and I knew a moment of complete happiness.

Trevor tensed, “I’m going to come.”

“
I too,” Kirill groaned and my legs began to shake in preparation for my own orgasm. I moaned my excitement, trying to urge them to go with me.

Then we did, we all came in one wild, straining, rapturous roar of completion. Trevor rushing hot down my throat and Kirill between my legs, as I cried out around the flesh that filled me, and shook through my release. Then they were sliding out of me and rolling to the bed with me. We collapsed in one sweaty, happy heap and the men pulled me up between them, their arms twining around me, holding me tightly to each of them.

“Would someone please tell me what just happened?” My voice came out more like a purr and I felt my face heat in embarrassment. Hello, Mega Slut.

“
I’m not sure,” Trevor nuzzled into my hair. “It just felt right. I saw the two of you and something clicked. Kirill wasn’t a threat but someone who loves you, someone who will help me protect you. My wolf likes the thought of you being protected.”

“
That doesn’t sound like you, Trevor,” I was beginning to feel an inkling of fear.

“
Maybe almost losing you has changed me.”

“
No,” Kirill broke in but his face was buried into my shoulder, giving me the sense that he felt guilty.

“
Did you do this?” I peered over at him, wondering if he had some kind of magic that I’d failed to notice.

“
No,” he finally looked up, his blue eyes liquid. “It’s somezing I should’ve varned you of but I hoped, for your sake, for your obvious reluctance of taking more zan one lover, zat it vouldn’t come to zis.”

“
Come to what?” I glanced at Trevor but he seemed to be in some kind of post coital haze. My jealous, bonded mate had just shared me with a man he’d originally resented even living with us. Why was I the only one worried?

“
Part of magic of lioness,” Kirill rose up on an elbow, “is urge to increase Pride and mate.”

“
Tell me that increase the Pride and mate does not mean that I’ll want to have sex with lots of men.”

“
It means your very instincts vill make you take many lovers. Ours is a reversed Pride, remember? One lioness and many lions,” Kirill licked his lips nervously and I found myself focused on his mouth. “I had hoped magic changed ven it found home in you but I couldn’t resist your pull tonight. As one of your lions, I could never deny you.”

“
So now
I’m
a rapist?” My skin was going hot and cold.

“
No,” Trevor and Kirill both cried out.

“
I vant you, Tima,” Kirill stroked a hand down my cheek and I shivered. “I’ve alvays vanted you, you must know zat. I’ve just been trying to control my desire because of your love for Trevor.”

“
It’s going to be alright, Minn Elska,” Trevor was rubbing circles into my stomach.

“
Tonight has proved zat magic is unchanged,” Kirill looked like he wanted to get as much out as fast as possible. “You’ll have to take more lovers, if not, urges vill consume you and you’ll end up claiming strangers and making more lions.”

“
But what about Trevor,” I gestured to my happy little wolf, who only stared up at me with sweet puppy dog eyes. “Will he feel this way with anyone else or is it just you? And how many men are we talking about? I don’t have room for more men in my house.”

“
Trevor is Froekn but he’s also your mate,” Kirill sat up. “As your alpha mate, he has absolute certainty in his position. Your magic vill automatically reassure him, as long as your lovers have been accepted by him first. Number of lovers you take is up to you. Ve’ll have to see vat your magic requires.”

“
Accepted? Like how he let you live with us?”

“
Sort of,” Kirill gave me his first smile of the evening. “Vat vould you do if you vanted to bring another cat in house? How vould you get Nick to accept new feline?”

“
I’d put the new cat in a room, close the door and let them reach under it to feel each other out,” I thought about the cat instincts that went into play when you brought in a potential rival. “Once they were secure with each other, I’d let the new guy out and let them get more acquainted.”

“
Da,” Kirill nodded. “You have to bring possible lovers around Trevor slowly, so he can approve or disapprove. As your alpha, he should have deciding vote on vether new man is added to bed.”

“
They won’t have to live here will they?” I’d need a bigger house.

“
No,” Kirill lay back down beside me. “You have Pride Palace and plenty of villing men avaiting you. You von’t have to look for new lovers, Tima, zey’ll come to you.”

“
No, I freed them,” I felt an ache start to envelope my heart. “I can’t force them into my bed. What the hell am I talking about? Why are we acting like this is normal? I can’t do this. I can’t become this.”

“
Zis
is
normal,” Kirill smoothed my hair back. “Zis is who you are now and ve who love you, vill help you. You can do zis, I promise you, and I hope you’ll enjoy it.” His face turned sensual, a slow smile spreading over it.

“
What about you, Kirill?” I ran a finger down the face that had become so precious to me without me even realizing it. “Don’t you want your own mate, a woman you won’t have to share?”

“
I have my mate now,” he caught my hand and kissed it. “I’d rather share you vith a hundred men zan have anozer, all to myself.”

“
A hundred?” My voice was just a little squeaky.

“
I doubt you’ll need zat many,” he laughed and it was a low, soft sound that made me feel safe. “Nyavirezi didn’t need all lions she made, she just enjoyed having zem at her disposal. She only slept vith a few of us consistently.”

“
So maybe I’ll be okay with just the two of you,” I looked over at Trevor but he was suddenly serious.

“
I have to admit,” Trevor frowned for a second, “a part of me still rages possessively at the thought of you with other men but Kirill is different. I don’t know why.”

“
Because you’ve already accepted me,” Kirill smiled grimly at my wolf. “You vill feel as you alvays have about her, except ven it comes to zose of us you choose to allow closer. Zen  magic vill rise around us and ve’ll be like brozers. You are Intare now as vell as Froekn, because of Vervain, ve are blood.”

“
Blood brothers, huh?” Trevor snuggled deeper into the bed and my side, looking like a content child tucked in.

“
Somezing like zat,” Kirill smiled at him and I caught my breath at the affection I saw in his gaze. He was right, there was already a bond between them. He caught me looking at him and smiled wider. “Ve’ll try it vith just us for now, Tima.”

“
I think I can handle that,” I pulled Kirill down beside us again.

“
Forgive me,” Kirill whispered and I looked over at him, snuggled just as tight next to me as Trevor was.

“
For what, baby?” Oh, crap I was already handing out the endearments. I almost groaned but his face lit up so brightly that I got over it.

“
I vanted zis,” he bit his lip and I was completely fascinated by that small flash of white dimpling his tender flesh. “I’m not upset zat magic found you. Every time I looked at you I hoped for it, for zis night ven I’d finally hold you and have you look at me like zat.”

His hair was as long as mine and almost the same color, just a few shades darker. The heavy length of it pooled around us and I stroked my fingers through it, thinking about how much I’d wanted him too. How could I not? He was all male, the most beautiful of all Niyavirezi’s lions. His skin was perfect and smooth over tight muscles, thicker than Trevor but not as big as Thor. His eyes were a bright sapphire, clear and honest, made even brighter by the dark lashes framing them. His features were a little sharp but all male and the overall effect was mind blowing… like the sex we’d just had.

“Tima, say somezing,” he swallowed hard and I realized that I’d left him waiting as I admired him.

“
I love you.”

“
Zat’s a hell of a somezing,” he exhaled hard and started to tremble.

“
I’m sorry,” I took his hand. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to pressure you. I just wanted you to know that I needed you as much as you need me. I want you to know you’re special to me too.”

“
It’s not pressure,” he smiled as a tear slipped out of his eye, “it’s shock and awe. It’s having somezing precious after all zose empty years. I have a true goddess to love finally, a goddess who’s answered all my prayers vith one sentence.”

“
Does that mean you love me too?” I smiled mischievously up at him.

“
It means I’ve never loved anozer as I love you and I never vill.” His lips were on mine again and I was full of a sense of destiny and belonging, belonging to the moment, the future, and to my lovers.

Both of them.