Revelation (The Forever Series Book Three) (23 page)

“Yes, I am.”

“Then you are one of mine and I will take responsibility for
you. You will come back to Los Angeles with us and should you choose to accept
it the position of…” I pause, trying to think up a name, “Head Werewolf,” I say
lamely.

All three of them burst out laughing. “Is that best you
could come up with, Kitten?” Devon asks in between snorts of laughter.

“On the spur of the moment. Yes!” I say haughtily.

“Well how can a guy refuse such an esteemed position?”
Lincoln chuckles.

“It’s a bit localized I think, Ambassador for Shifters might
be more appropriate,” Devon says. “Although having said that, it may be a bit
too generalized,” he adds with a frown, “Maybe you should think of also adding
a few delegates from the different species of Shifters? Your kind is weird.” He
smiles to show he means no harm.

Lincoln smiles back. “You really want me to be part of your
new regime?” he asks then, seriously.

“Yes, I do. My mother said that they would come to me. And
here you are. In the middle of a Transylvanian forest that I just happened to
Astral into to kill its owner.”

He looks pleased, “I have a working knowledge of what you
are about, but you will have to take some time to fill in the blanks.”

“I will. In the meantime we need to talk about something.
Privately,” I say pointedly, referring to his “working knowledge.”

“Sure,” he says easily and I stand.

“Give me a few minutes, and then meet me back in our room,
okay?” I whisper to Cole who doesn’t look overly pleased that I am going off
with this stranger.

He nods though and I turn to Devon, “Will you go and check
on CK, please? The tower room is…”

“I’ll find it,” Devon says as he stands.

“Thank you. Lincoln, follow me. We’ll go and find you a room
to stay in while we talk.” He stands and follows me out of the sitting room. I
stay silent as we head up the stairs to the first floor. I turn to the right as
Devon turns to the left to go in search of CK.

“Stay out of my head,” I say to him as I push open a door
and peer inside.

“Sorry,” he says, not sounding sorry in the slightest. “It
is not something I can control very easily. You are the first.”

“What do you mean?” I ask closing the door again as that was
not a bedroom and move to the next door.

“If I were to hazard a guess I would say that when you broke
the curse and I changed back to my human form you were still touching me, I
think some of your energy got into me.”

I narrow my eyes at him, “That’s some guess.”

He shrugs, “It may be more than I guess.”

“How much do you know already?” I ask warily, pushing open
the next door. I step into a nice bedroom and hold the door open for him to
join me. I close the door and sit on the bed. He follows me.

“It has come to me in small bits so far. I have been trying
not to pry. I have the whole Queen thing, which is quite impressive by the
way,” he says and smiles at me. “I knew that Cole was your husband. You already
told me about Devon. I figured that Constantine was your sire by what happened
next, and when I took your hand, my fingers brushed over your very beautiful
ring and I know who and why it was given to you,” he says cautiously. “I also
know that it is a secret and I won’t tell. It’s none of my business,” he adds.

“No, it isn’t. But thank you. I imagine I will have to go
some way to blocking your visions.”

“We can work on it together. I don’t really want to be in
your head. You have some wild thoughts. They move at super speed, it’s
exhausting. I think that is why I have only picked on a few things so far.” He
smirks at me.

“Tell me about it. However, if you think mine go quickly,
try keeping up with my sire. That is a full-time job.”

He chuckles and takes my hand. “You are quite the
complicated woman, Queen Liv. But I am glad that you came to this place. Your
relationships are very complex. I never understood the way of the Vampire. We
wolves tend to mate for life,” he says.

“Have you met many Vampires?” I ask.

“A few. Before Lance of course. Do you know many Shifters?”

“I have come across some different ones over the years but
never actually knew them, if you know what I mean. I think we Vampires are a
cliquey lot,” I say in amusement.

“Well we Shifters are not generally fans of your kind
either,” he says wryly. “However, you saved me. I am your biggest fan,” he says
with a shy grin.

“That’s sweet. Can I ask you how old you are? It sounds rude
but it will help you find your place with…” I wave my hand about, “my lot.”

He chuckles. “I am 313 years old. Still fairly young for my
kind. We are not immortal as you are but we do live long lives. How old are
you?” he asks then with a sly smile.

“Can’t you just get it out of my head?” I quip but I have
already tried to throw some blocks up, not that I really know how.

He shakes his head. “You seem to have gotten the hang of
that quite quickly.”

“I’m a quick study. I was turned one thousand years ago.”

“I figured as much. You have a very old soul. So tell me
more of your Shifter side. Dragon? I find that fascinating. I have never met
one before.”

“Hm, that is a story for another time. Right now I need to
go and be with my husband. It’s been a long day. Actually it’s been a long
month. I will leave you to get some rest,” I say.

“No, please don’t leave me alone.” His sad tone catches me
off guard. “I have been alone for so long.”

I blink at him and pull him up. One more in the gigantic bed
isn’t really going to make much difference for one night.

We make our way in silence to the orgy room and I push open
the door. Cole, Devon, and CK all turn to look at us, eyebrows raised, as we
enter hand in hand.

“He’s staying the night with us,” I say and they all look
mildly uncomfortable. Especially Lincoln who stutters, “You all share a room?”

“No, not all the time. Just here.”

“Um, Liv. Could I have a word with you? In private?” Cole
growls at me and I let go of Lincoln and pull him into the bathroom, turning on
the taps in a vain attempt to deter eavesdropping.

“Before you start, it’s not what you are thinking.” I hold
up my hand at him and he shuts his mouth. “I have no intention of bringing him
into our circle. But he is my responsibility and I will take that duty seriously.
He has been stuck on this hill for fifty-seven years, Cole. He didn’t want to
be alone. Okay. End of story.”

“Okay,” he says much to my amazement. So much for the shit
storm.

“Okay, then.”

He moves closer to me and turns the taps off. He takes my
face in his hands and drops his mouth to mine. I pull him closer and lose
myself in his kiss. He picks me up and places me on the sink unit and I wrap my
legs around him. He increases the pressure of his kiss as he moves a hand down
and under my skirt. Still knickerless after the dungeon incident he pushes his
fingers into me without hesitation and I groan into his mouth and tilt my hips
up towards him. He pushes my backside closer to him and I undo his belt and
unzip his pants, freeing him as he shivers at my gentle touch. Pulling me
forward onto him he turns us suddenly so my back is pressed to the door as he
pushes himself into me, deeper and deeper. I cry out as he stretches me wide as
he is all the way inside me and then he pulls out and in a pounding rhythm that
has me slamming back and forth against the bathroom door proceeds to bring me
to an orgasm that rips through me, easing all the tension of the day. Still
pounding into me I am vaguely aware that the three on the other side of this
door will be hearing a show right now and I pull him to me for a long kiss as
he carries on his relentless thrusting that is driving me into a frenzy.

“Oh baby,” he moans loudly, “I love fucking you.” He slams
me against the door harder and harder and I can feel his Vampire strength
rippling through him, no sooner as the door gives way and we fall back to the
floor in an amorous heap and with one last thrust he comes inside me as I join
him. Looking up mischievously he says, “Oops,” at the three astounded faces
watching us and I chuckle as he pulls us both to our feet, fixing our clothes
into a more decent state.

I knew he was up to something. A very clear reminder of who
gets to fuck me as and when he pleases.

“Well,” CK says looking less than impressed. “I’m sure that
our guest has seen and heard quite enough of that for tonight, Aefre. A word
please.”

With a quick grin back at Cole who winks at me in response I
saunter over to CK and pull him into the corner.

“Are you okay?” I ask him seriously.

“Yes, I am fine. Don’t worry about me. I am concerned for
you. What you did today… there has been too much killing for you lately. You
should have let me take this burden.” He embraces me tightly and I return it.

“No, I had to do it. I wanted to do it. Especially after
what he said.” I lower my voice to less than a whisper as I say in his ear,
“You are worth saving. I will never believe otherwise.”

“You are too good to me, my sweet. I don’t deserve to have
you love me. You do still love me, don’t you?” he asks worriedly, just as
quietly.

“Of course. I could never stop. You would still be knocked
unconscious if I didn’t,” I say, smirking at him.

He peers at me curiously, “What do you mean?”

Switching back to our cover language I say, “This place is
like some kind of ridiculous fairytale with all its curses and what not. Let’s
just say we had a Sleeping Beauty role reversal.”

“The kiss of true love?” He smiles. “I thought I wasn’t
yours?” he asks almost hopefully.

“Well it turns out even the smartest woman on the planet can
be wrong sometimes.” And he swoops down to kiss me, claiming me, everyone else
be damned.

Christ, poor Lincoln must be wondering what the hell is
going on here.

“Say the word and I will break our agreement,” he growls at
me. “I want you. I want you now, to be mine, Aefre. Just say the word.”

I shake my head, “No. The agreement stands. I want you too
my love, but my priority is to my husband.”

He looks pained and then angry. “I will be watching you
closely, Aefre. Both of you. If either of you give me a reason to break our
terms, I won’t hesitate,” he warns and again I marvel how he goes from hot to
cold in the blink of an eye.

“Calm yourself,” I snap at him then and he narrows his eyes
at me in amusement – again with the mood shift. “Things will be changing for sure,
but that is not one of them.”

“We’ll see,” he says mutinously and with an abrupt change of
subject he says, “What of this Wolf Shifter? You have claimed him?”

“Yes.”

“As a fifth?” he asks curiously and not at all pleasantly.

“A fifth?” I ask confused. “Oh, a fifth.” The penny drops.
“No! I already told Cole he is not joining our little circle. I have no
intention of making him a lover,” I say, not entirely convincingly, even I have
to admit, and he pounces on it as I knew he would.

“Oh please Aefre. You may be able to fool your husband, but
you can’t fool me. He is exactly your type and I know you won’t resist him if
he tries it,” he says nastily.

Huffing at him and his stupid ability I say, “He won’t try
it. He says wolves mate for life and he doesn’t understand our ways. He isn’t
likely to stick his oar into this lake with all its complications.”

“It’s not his
oar
I am worried about,” he pouts. “So
you’ve discussed it then?”

“No, it came up in conversation. He’s not a fool, he saw
what happened between us in the dungeon.”

“Humph, indeed he did,” he grumbles.

“Complain all you like now, I didn’t see you objecting,” I
say smartly.

“I will never object to touching you Aefre,” he says softly.

“Hello, you two in the corner? We are still here you know,”
Devon says dryly from over by the sofa. “We would appreciate it if you either
rejoined us, or at least spoke in a language one of us could understand.”

“I understand them perfectly,” Lincoln says with an air of
superiority and everyone gapes at him. “And just so we are clear,” he adds with
a sly wink at me, “I never said this lake wasn’t for me.”

CK rounds on him, “Watch yourself. That wasn’t meant for
your ears.”

“But you were talking about me, behind my back I might add,”
he says as he stands up and moves closer to the two of us. “I think my
oar
will fit in quite nicely.” He is standing at my side now glaring down at CK
from his extra two inches. He reaches out to me and pulls me in front of him.
He does a partial Shift, which must be a Werewolf or general Shifter thing,
claws and teeth ready, and proceeds to sink his teeth into my neck, raking his
claws down my arms as he does so.

I don’t react out of shock for a second that he is biting me
and nor do the other three, great protectors that they are. But then in the
next second, everything seems to move in slow motion as CK, Devon, and Cole
lunge forward at us as Lincoln releases the bite and pulls me backwards,
slitting his own wrist with his claws and holding it up to my mouth. I grab
hold of him and my fangs drop at the scent of his blood and somewhere deep down
I know this is going to have far reaching consequences but I clamp down on him
and drink as he hisses.

Stopping at my actions my three boys stare in disbelief at
me as I drink deeply from him, pulling away eventually and wiping my mouth with
the back of my hand.

“What the fuck?” Constantine snarls at him. “Do that again
and I will…”

“CK, stop. It’s okay,” I interrupt him.

He glares at me. “He bit you without your consent. That is
not okay.”

“His ways are different to ours,” I pull out of Lincoln’s
strong embrace and round on him myself, glaring into his clear green eyes that
are glinting with amusement. “You might have given me time to think about it,”
I mutter to him.