Catching Faete
Author: Kincaid, Elena; Dylan, Maia; Marsh, Sarah
Date: 2017-05-21T07:00:00+00:00
Keywords: getcom1; Romance; ident; JeanneP
Description: They say that when one door closes, another opens, but when Erica made her choice to stop a madman, she couldn’t have imagined the price that she would have to pay. The future she’d risked everything for has just changed forever. The existence of the Dark Fae and their Goddess comes as a shock, but the fates have one more surprise in store for Erica and her mates in the form of orphaned twin babies who steal their hearts—but these children are not like the Fae Erica is familiar with. They come with powers that she and her husbands know nothing about. The Dark Fae council will watch over them t
Publisher: Evernight Publishing

EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2017 Elena Kincaid, Maia Dylan, and Sarah Marsh

ISBN: 978-1-77339-284-4

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Karyn White

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all of our readers, and to those who believe that love and faith will always find a way.

CATCHING FAETE

Beyond the Veil, 4

Elena Kincaid, Maia Dylan, and Sarah Marsh

Copyright © 2017

Chapter One

“Incredible, incredible, nasty, shoot!”

Erica froze as expletives began to sound from inside the nursery. It wasn’t hard to make out the cursing, but the laughter coming from the other adult male in the room certainly added another dimension to it.

“Shut up, Ben, and come and help me clean this trash up.”

Erica heard the desperation in her mate Leo’s tone, but there was a thread of contentment and joy that ran through it, too.

Although she wasn’t entirely sure what sparked the cursing, she could absolutely appreciate the joy and contentment. These were emotions she shared. How could she not when she had Eylwén and Finwén in her life? Erica and her mates had been charged with caring for the recently orphaned twin babies by Alak and Aeron, the High Dorum of the Dark Fae, a race once thought to be extinct. Her life had taken a radical change less than a week ago, and now she couldn’t imagine it ever going back to the way it was.

“Why do I have to help clean Finn up? I’m holding Ellie, and she’s not needing a change right now, are you, sweetheart? No, you’re not. You’re dry and happy and sitting with your Poppa and laughing at Daddy, aren’t you?” Ben’s baby talk had Erica’s heart swelling in her chest.

She sighed at the use of the nicknames Gabe had given the children. The day she and her mates had been named as the caregivers for these beautiful six-month-old babies, Gabe had stood before them with a happy glint in his eye. As soon as she’d spotted that gleam, she should have been wary, but she had been too besotted with the twins to care. Gabe then proclaimed that if he were to have two new pups in his pack, then he was “dang well going to make sure they had names he could pronounce”.

“Because Finn just … well, he … Goodness!” Leo seemed to gag, and Erica began to get an idea of what might have happened. “The smell! What in the name of all that is sacred has Aneena been feeding them? And how much? I find it completely unbelievable that such a small little body could hold so much.”

Erica slapped a hand to her mouth in an attempt to hold back her laughter. She had once thought that ridding the world of Aelfric and the captain of his guard, the narcissistic Kheelan, would be the highlight of her life, but now that she had her mates and the twins, vengeance paled in comparison. Everything she had ever wanted was right here in front of her. The thought that she might never have had the chance to realize this dream and the happiness it brought to her and her mates had the laughter dying in her throat, and she sent another silent “thank you” to both of the Goddesses that had made this possible.

As an adult, she always knew that her actions would have consequences. Some would be good, while others, not so much. One decision she had made while desperately readying for the battle of her life had been to use her Goddess-given gifts to rid the Fae realm of an evil the likes of which the human and shifter world had never seen before. It was not a choice she had made lightly, and although at times since then, she had regretted it, it was more so because of the consequences she had to live with, rather than the decision itself that gave her pause.

The Goddess who had given her the gift of healing had also been the one who had delivered the devastating news that the darkness she had taken into herself to destroy Aelfric, had left behind a taint that would make it impossible for her to bear children of her own. So yes, although she and her mates, and the men and women who stood with them had rid the world of Aelfric, Kheelan, and the horrors that they would have dealt her people, she often wondered if the price she’d paid had been too high.

Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts, she stepped into the nursery. A noxious odor hit her as she stepped across the entrance. She looked over at Leo and couldn’t hold back a giggle. He was dealing with a diaper blow-out of epic proportions, and her other mate was sitting in one of the rocking chairs they’d had made for the nursery, laughing his rear off.

“What on earth is going on in here?” she asked, omitting the fact that she’d been standing out in the hall listening. “It’s almost midnight, and these children should be asleep.”

Leo looked over at her with a pleading look. “Finn exploded.”

Erica laughed again as she walked toward him, gathering another pack of wet wipes April had sent through the veil for her. “Although I’m sure that’s not entirely true, but from what I can see, it might well be appropriate.” As she neared the changing table, Finn, who was dangling happily in Leo’s hands, spotted her, making his little face light up.

The happy gurgles he made as she approached and the way he pumped his chubby legs in the air filled her with love for the little boy, and despite the smell that seemed to surround him, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his little nose.

“Hello, my little man,” she cooed as she quickly removed the soiled changing sheet, placed a disposal mat over half of the clean mattress, and indicated for Leo to lay the baby down. “That must have been why you were so restless after dinner. Aneena and I started the babies on solids, so I should have anticipated this.”

“Love,” Leo said in a dry tone as she swiftly cleaned the baby, “not even the Gods could have anticipated that situation.”

She smiled as she slid a clean onesie onto the boy, who was rapidly falling asleep now that he was warm and clean again. She picked him up and placed him over her shoulder as she turned to look over at Ben and Ellie, sighing when she saw him cuddling the baby to his broad, naked chest. Ellie was fast asleep, sucking on her fist and looking for all the world as content as any child could be.

Tears formed in her eyes as she walked over to the crib and placed her bundle down on the mattress, patting his small butt when he appeared to be about to wake up again. She sensed movement behind her and knew that Ben was placing Ellie in her crib across the room. Once she was sure that Finn was fast asleep, she walked over to Ellie and leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead, inhaling that baby smell she loved so much before stepping back and pulling up the side of the crib.

She reached out and turned off the main lights of the room so that just their night light illuminated the nursery. It was a present from Gabe and Braxas and featured lights that moved on the ceiling and walls that looked like puppies and kittens playing. The Fae used electricity powered by nature—water and wind—but they had no outlets like the humans did. Fortunately, they had potions and magicians who were able to create a small water-powered energy source that connected to the nightlight, making it function.

Erica stopped in the doorway and turned to look back at her sleeping babies. The Goddesses truly did work in mysterious ways, she thought. She might not have had the pleasure of birthing the twins, but they were hers. She knew it with everything in her. They were hers!

“Come on, love,” Ben whispered in her ear as he urged her to lean back against him. “Leave them to dream of all the mischief and grief they will cause us over the next few decades. Now that they’re asleep, let’s make the most of this time we have alone.”

Heat swirled within her, and she nodded. They had been Mommy, Poppa, and Daddy all day. Now it was time for Mommy to get her some.

Chapter Two

Leo had gone on ahead to the bedroom and lit all the candles they had, creating a golden glow that made Erica look radiant when she entered moments later with Ben. The smile on her face when she looked his way still made his heart skip a beat, just as it had the very first moment he’d seen her. He would swear that if he didn’t have a shifter’s strength, the sheer joy he’d felt since bringing the babies home and seeing Erica blossom as a mother would have made his heart explode.

He couldn’t have anticipated how two small little beings could instantly repair the gaping hole that had been ripped into their souls when the Goddess Allyria had told them the price they would pay for Alefric’s demise. But here they were, starting a new journey together, albeit, this one filled with much less danger, and much more need for an endless supply of wet wipes, but certainly just as important as anything Leo had ever done in his life previous. They would love and protect these children, and they would raise them to be the kind of people who made both sides of the Veil a better place.

“You look so resolved right now, Leo. What are you thinking about?” Erica stopped in front of him to gently caress his cheek with her hand.

“Just about how lucky we are … and how lucky you’re about to get.” He leaned in to kiss her as he landed a quick smack to her jean covered rear that made her yelp and laugh into his mouth.

“Now we’re talking,” Ben said. He quickly shucked off his own jeans and stepped up behind Erica to unbutton her top, revealing her soft, perfect breasts. He gently pulled back her wrists, using her top as a makeshift rope to bind them behind her. “How do you want it tonight, baby?”

Leo could tell from the quick increase in her breathing that she was in the mood for something a little edgier than “sweet” tonight.

“Mmm, I think I know exactly what our naughty little mate is looking for, don’t I, baby?” He cocked one eyebrow at her, and her eyes grew hooded as she bit down on her lower lip, indicating that she knew exactly the type of evening he had in mind. “Ben, get on the bed, sitting with your back against the headboard. You, my love, strip off those clothes for me, now.”

Leo released her bound hands and watched as she followed his commands, his cock growing harder with every quick inhale making her perfect breasts shimmy in the soft candlelight. He quickly rid himself of his own clothes, and when she turned back to him waiting for direction, he kissed her slow and deep until she was panting, her arousal scenting the bedroom. He drew back and turned her towards the bed where Ben had been watching their kiss, his fist leisurely stroking up and down his shaft. Ben and Leo both knew how much it turned their mate on to watch them, and Leo pressed himself against Erica’s bare back, pushing his aching cock down to slide through her now soaking folds, teasing her, but not entering her.

“Do you like watching Ben stroke his cock while he thinks about you riding him, baby?” Leo whispered in her ear, moving one hand up to cup a soft breast while the other slowly made its way down her stomach.

“Yes,” she answered in a breathless whimper just as his fingers parted her wet pussy and circled her clit, causing her hips to buck. “Please…”

Her moisture was soaking his cock as he took his time, moving his hips back and forth. He pressed all the way forward, his fingers leaving her clit only long enough to reach further and grab the head of his swollen shaft in between her legs. He brought it back up to nestle between her labia, rubbing against the swollen nub, making her moan and wiggle against him. When her arm shot up and her fingers tangled in his hair, he felt the tightness in his own groin that told him if he didn’t change course, he’d be coming all over her wet little pussy in a matter of moments, but that wasn’t part of his plan tonight.

Leo placed a delicate kiss on her neck and reluctantly drew back from her.

“Get up on the bed, baby.” His voice was thick with arousal. “I want you to straddle Ben while facing me. Give him a good view of that perfect rear.” He smacked her round bottom once again for good measure and loved seeing the skin turn a rosy shade of pink.

The little minx teased him by taking her time as she crawled onto the bed, keeping her legs parted so that Leo could see her glistening folds beckoning to him. When she reached Ben, she lowered her head down to take his swollen cock head between her lips, sucking on it for a moment, before slowly turning to straddle his hips.

He watched as she settled herself very deliberately over Ben’s hard shaft, his brother’s hands moving to her hips to slide her along the length of him, bringing them both pleasure. They looked beautiful together, Erica’s head back in abandon, her eyes closed as she savored the feel of her mate beneath her.

Leo grabbed the lube they kept in the nightstand and threw it on the bed next to Ben, and his brother didn’t miss a beat as he grabbed it and slid Erica forward so that his shaft was resting against her rear.

“Give me your wrists, baby.” Leo reached under the mattress and pulled out the wrist cuffs they’d stashed there. He pulled them up and behind the headboard so that her arms would be above her head while the rest of her luscious body was at their mercy.

“I see you’ve been shopping without me.” She purred as she offered up her hands for him to secure in the soft, padded cuffs.

“Who, us?” Ben tried and failed at making his voice sound innocent. “These were a gift. Gabe thought we might have some trouble getting some ‘alone time’ with the babes needing you and all. He thought we may need to shackle you in order for you to take a break.”

“Our Alpha is ever the considerate man.” Her response was thick with sarcasm, but her breathing had increased as Leo secured the other cuff and it left her open to his perusal.

“He is indeed. Now be good and relax, baby. Ben is going to prepare that sweet rear of yours … and then he’s going to fill you up.”

“Oh! And then what are you going to do?” Her breathy tone sounded the same as when she said their names right before she came hard around them. It sent a thrill down Leo’s cock, making him grab his shaft tight by the base.

He could see Ben using the lube on himself and then working his fingers in to prepare her for his penetration. The very idea of what he was about to feel was moving him to distraction.

“Once Ben gets inside that tight little donkey of yours,” Leo began, “I’m going to suck on that pretty little clit until you come screaming around him, and then I’m going to slide myself into your soaking wet pussy and make you scream all over again.”

“Oh, my!”

****

Ben was determined to hold off his release, despite the protestations of his cock. He held himself still inside Erica’s rear until Leo brought her to a screaming ecstasy with his mouth. She bucked wildly against him, gripping him even harder as she continually spasmed. He held her flush against him—her back to his chest—until she finally calmed in his arms.

“I need to change positions,” Ben said. He needed to be the one to move, to drive them all into their orgasm after remaining so still, and he wanted to see himself slide in and out of her beautiful rear.

As soon as Leo positioned himself flat on his back, Erica, without preamble, impaled herself on him. She threw her head back and bit her lower lip.

“My goodness, our mate is so hot.” Leo groaned as he watched Erica’s reaction to their touch, and it made his toe even harder, something he would have thought an impossible feat just moments ago.

“Move forward, baby,” Ben gently ordered her, using his hand on her back to guide her closer to Leo.

Her rear looked glorious up in the air for him. He inched forward and entered her slowly, letting her acclimate to the feel of both him and Leo. He loved when they took her together. Her body felt even tighter this way, and he was sure that this was also the way that all three of them came the hardest.

Ben began to thrust inside of her, pulling almost all the way out before plunging back in. He and Leo quickly found a good rhythm, although this position left very little room for Leo to do anything but follow along.

Erica’s successive moans drove him to move faster. “Harder,” she called out.

“You want it hard and fast, baby?”

She let out a loud moan in response, and he gave her what she needed … what they all needed. He thrust faster, his strokes going in as deep as she could take him. The sounds of their moans and his flesh slapping against hers filled the room.

And before long, Erica shouted, “I’m coming!”

“Thank you, Goodness!” Ben finally let go and roared out his release. Somewhere in the background, he heard Leo calling out Erica’s name.

None of them it seemed had the strength to move afterward. They only managed to position themselves side by side in an exhausted heap of tangled limbs.

“Mmm,” Erica moaned sleepily sometime later. “That was so good. Just what I needed.”

“It’s what we all needed,” Ben said. It had, after all, been nearly a week since they had last made love, what with parenthood basically falling into their lap and all.

“Let’s get some sleep while we still can,” Leo suggested.

They all agreed, and Ben smiled widely at the reason for his suggestion. The thought of being woken out of sleep from a crying baby or two—his crying babies—actually sounded wonderful.

Chapter Three

Ben did not have to worry about being woken up in the middle of the night. He was already wide awake. He had managed to doze off for a few hours after he and Leo tucked Erica in, in between them, but a nightmare had jarred him wide awake.

The dream had started out quite pleasant at first. He was in the nursery with Erica, Leo, and the babies. They were all on the floor on a multicolored playmat, the grownups sitting cross-legged as the twins crawled around.

Then, the dream morphed into something horrific. Erica stood up screaming, “My babies! Where are my babies?” He saw himself as well as Leo frantically searching the entire castle, but Ellie and Finn were nowhere to be found.

He had awoken clutching his chest and then immediately run straight to the nursery to find both of his children sleeping peacefully. He let out a long harsh breath while running his fingers through his hair, clutching at the strands. “Just a dream,” he whispered.

When he was satisfied that the babies were safe, he walked back into the bedroom, grateful that the gift of foresight did not belong to him. Erica turned to him in sleep when he got back into bed as if sensing that he needed comfort. He didn’t need to overanalyze his dream to understand why he had had it. As strongly as he felt that those children belonged to him, Erica, and Leo, the Dark Fae council had not made their final decision yet.

He lay there, with his mate in his arms, sleep eluding him as he thought back on this past week and what was still to come.

****

The trio had simply thought that they were going into the Dark Fae village to acquaint themselves with Fae brethren they had thought extinct, but not long after they had set foot there, the babies were placed in their care. The Goddess of the Dark Fae, Rysanna, had willed it so. Alak and Aeron, the High Dorum, explained that the parents had died in a tragic accident, though they did not go into detail. What they did reveal was that Aneena, Alak and Aeron’s cousin, and the newest Dorum council member, had been the one to save the twins, risking her own life in the process. She was unable to save the parents, however. Their mother, Halarra, had been her childhood friend, and Ben did not need Alak or Aeron to tell him that Aneena clung to her guilt. He could see it written all over her face every time he looked at her.

“You’re wondering why Aneena wasn’t charged to take care of them?” Aeron had asked him.

“I am,” he had replied. He had to be sure that there was no one who would suddenly decide to lay claim on the children one day. He had fallen in love with the twins the minute he had laid eyes on them, had known in his gut, despite not having any kind of seer abilities, that they were meant to be his, Erica’s, and Leo’s, but as hard as it would be to give them up before they even had them, it would be excruciatingly impossible later.

“I know it may seem antiquated in your modern times,” Aeron began, “but my cousin is still unmated. Our instincts for parenthood work differently than those of humans, and she would be more of a loving caregiver to them, rather than their mother. And she already has a role to play in their lives as a Duva Matra.” At Ben’s puzzled look, he explained, “It means one who guides children. A secondary parental figure, if you will, who aids in the growth of a child.”

Ben supposed it was similar to a godmother, but was satisfied with Aeron’s answer. He also reassured Ben that there was no other claim to the children, but a meeting was in order to make the handing over the care official. It took a few days to convene a council meeting. What Ben thought would be a simple matter of signing some documents—after all, it was their own Goddess who had decided to place the babies with them—turned out to be a heated debate, and not all were in favor.

The two-story meeting place structure in the heart of the village looked very much like someone’s house from the outside, the face of the building was comprised of inviting yellow brick, trimmed grass and bushes, colorful flowers, and a paved walkway leading up to an ornately carved wooden door. Inside, however, the small foyer led into a grand room with high ceilings and a candlelit chandelier. Instead of pews, there were rows of either cushy looking chairs or couches facing the front. There was no podium in the front of the large room, only more comfortable looking couches facing forward.

Ben, Erica, and Leo sat in the front row with the twins. Erica held Ellie in her arms with Leo’s arms around them. Ben sat on Erica’s other side holding Finn. He tried to tune out most of the arguing as Finn sleepily opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings.

“Ignore them all,” Ben cooed to his son in a whisper. Finn let out a gurgle and then closed his eyes.

Alak and Aeron were still arguing their case passionately, as Gabe and his mates arrived. They took seats near them in support.

“Our Goddess has willed it so,” Aeron declared to the crowd just then.

“Do you dare to go against her will?” Alak asked the opposition.

“We cannot allow these Dark Fae children to be raised by their kind,” Ben heard an angry woman shout. He didn’t bother to look up as she continued. “Our Goddess is the one who separated us from the Light Fae. Did she not?”

“And with good reason,” a male council member added. “They are selfish beings. Our children should be raised by their own kind.”

“Selfish?” Alak roared. “That woman,” Ben saw him pointing at Erica in his peripheral vision, “nearly sacrificed her life, and did sacrifice her ability to bear children in order to protect her people from a tyrant. Those men beside her are shifters, not Fae, and yet they nearly died as well for the Fae cause.”

“The time for separatism to come to an end is upon us,” Aeron said. “It is time for us all to band together if we are to survive what has been foreseen.”

“I am inclined to agree with you, cousins,” came a soft-spoken voice from the back of the room.

“Thank you, Aneena,” Aeron said.

But it appeared that their cousin had more to say. “Though I agree with you about bringing our peoples together, including shifter kind, and I have no doubt as to the bravery and selflessness of Lady Eyrica and her mates, nor do I question their ability to be good parents, but they have no experience with our kind.” Ben heard no judgment in her tone as she went on, only concern. “Our Goddess told you to bring the Queen and her Kings of the Light Fae here to the village so that we may begin to bring our people together. She told you to show them the babies, to place them in their arms, and then what? How can we be sure that this trio is the right choice to raise these children? How will they know how to deal with their gifts when they emerge?”

It was his Erica who answered, her voice barely above a whisper, but nonetheless sure in her response. “Because I already feel them in my very soul. They are our fate.” And then, as any loving mother would, she leaned down and placed a soft, sweet kiss on Ellie’s head, before doing the same to Finn.

“A trial,” said a woman sitting in the back next to Aneena.

Ben turned to look at her and recalled her as someone who’d argued not necessarily in their favor, but in favor of the Goddesses’ will, as she had said.

“A trial period to see if these three Light Fae can be parents to our Dark Fae children,” she continued. “And someone to help guide and teach them about our ways. This person shall also act as a witness to their ability or lack thereof.”

“That responsibility is mine,” said Aneena.

Ben thought that was fitting for her to volunteer since she had a vested interest in the babies as their Duva Matra, not to mention what he had learned about her in relation to the twins.

“Very well,” Aeron said. “A two-week trial.” He gave the two earlier naysayers the stink eye, a terrifying look, effectively preventing them from protesting. “Our Goddess would not oppose this.”

Alak then added sternly, “And if at the end of this trial period, these Light Fae prove themselves worthy, Goddess help anyone who tries to interfere with their family.”

Ben was really starting to like these High Dorum.

****

Sleep would not be had for Ben tonight, he was sure of it. He gently rolled Erica over to Leo after he softly kissed her lips, and proceeded to the nursery. This time, he found Finn awake, happily making his sweet baby noises in his crib and kicking up his feet.

“Can’t sleep, little man? Come, Poppa will tell you a story.” He picked up Finn and then dragged one of the rocking chairs over beside Ellie’s crib so that she could hear the story, too, even though she was still sound asleep. “I want to tell you about my people—shifter kind—and now your people, too.

“Once upon a time,” he began, “and a long time ago, there lived a large clan of people who faithfully worshiped Gods and Goddesses—four of them, to be exact. They were Earth Gods who nurtured the land and took care of its people.

“And then one very harsh and horrible winter, the clan began to suffer and get sick, and they went hungry because they couldn't go out in the blizzard-like conditions to hunt. So they prayed and brought what little offerings they had to their mighty and compassionate Gods and Goddesses. They asked for help for their people to survive the cruelty of nature’s elements.

“In answer to their prayers, the Gods and Goddesses spoke to the animals in the forest around the village and asked if they would be willing to help the suffering people. The animals told the Gods and Goddesses that they believed the clan was an honorable one. They never hunted more than they needed, and they had always been respectful of the forest and the animals they shared it with. So, the animals agreed upon one condition. The clan must join their lives to those of the animals, and spend equal time in their shifted forms to let the animal spirit be celebrated.

“And so, the next day, the animals chosen by the Gods to save the clan, arrived in the village and they each merged with a human soul mate, creating the very first shifters. Wolves, bears, and cougars were among the first to be created. This joining brought harmonious delight to the Gods and Goddesses. The clan was stronger, smarter, and thriving in a way they could never have before.

“Eventually the Gods and Goddesses chose other deserving clans across the world and other worthy animals, until the race of shifters was complete.”

Finn gave a happy grunt at the end of the story and then grabbed Ben’s finger in his chubby little fist. “You liked that, didn’t you, my little man? I like that story, too.”

Just as he leaned down to give Finn a kiss to his forehead, he noticed someone standing in the doorway. Aneena stood gazing at him with an actual smile. He hadn’t seen anything but sadness in her eyes since the day he had met her.

She gave him a slight nod before she took her leave.

Chapter Four

“All I’m saying, is that it’s more than just a little bit creepy.”

Erica grinned at Ben’s words as he continued to bounce Finn on his knee. The five of them were sitting on a blanket out on the grass in front of their home, enjoying the sun. Both children were awake, clean, fed and happy, and it was a rare thing indeed for both of them to be in that peaceful state at the same time.

“She’s their Duva Matra, Ben,” Erica reminded him as she leaned over to tickle Ellie’s tummy, reveling in her giggle that had her heart melting. “Aneena has a responsibility to make sure these babies are raised right. She has to go back to her people and clear any doubt there might be that the three of us can raise these children as our own, but in a way that enables them to know all aspects of their heritage.”

Leo leaned into her and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. Erica felt her heart stutter at the move and knew she would always feel like that whenever her mates touched her. “We know that, baby. It’s just hard to adjust to having a houseguest that seems to watch us at all times and critique everything we do.”

Erica made a scoffing sound. “Oh, she’s not always watching us.”

Leo reached out and hand and gently tipped her face back toward the palace. Erica saw Aneena standing on the balcony that led out from the main foyer and sure enough, her gaze was locked on the five of them.

“Now, that’s just an awkward coincidence, I’m sure,” Erica said quietly, despite the tendril of unease that began to unfurl within her.

Erica recognized the expression on the other woman’s face. It was a look she herself had worn at times after the Goddess had told her what her actions had cost her. It was the look of a woman who longed for what she saw in front of her, a woman who yearned to be a mother. What if Aneena wanted the babies for her own? Erica felt a pain strike deep within her chest at the thought.

“Erica?”

“Baby?”

She heard the concern in both her mates’ tones and knew they must have caught the echo of that pain along through their bond.

She smiled brightly at them both. “It’s nothing, just a bad thought that jumped into my mind, nothing serious.” Both men didn’t look convinced, and she sent up a prayer of thanks to the Goddess above that neither of them chased her for an answer. She was just being paranoid anyway, she thought. After all, Aeron had already explained to Ben that Aneena would be more of a caregiver to the twins rather than their mother.

Determined not to let wayward thoughts ruin her day, Erica focused back on her family, and the rest of the afternoon was perfect. It was one of those moments in life that photographs would never do justice to. She still wore a gentle smile on her face hours later, when both her children were tucked up in bed, and both her mates were off running through the woods in their wolf forms.

She walked into the kitchen in search of some of the chocolate Corrine had left last time she had visited, and drew to a halt when she encountered Aneena. The woman stood in the darkened kitchen staring out at the night.

“Aneena?” Erica asked, and from the way other woman seemed to jolt back to awareness, she knew she’d roused her from deep thought. “Are you okay?”

“I apologize, Lady Eyrica,” Aneena hastened to say, and Erica frowned as she watched the usually calm and unfazed Fae start to exit the kitchen as fast as possible.

“Wait!” Erica moved to block her exit. “Stay and tell me what’s bothering you.” Aneena’s troubled gaze lifted to hers then dropped back to the floor. “Come on, Aneena. The babies are sleeping, and the boys are out in the woods doing their wolf thing. We’re the only ones here. Will you not sit with me and tell me what has you so lost in thought?”

Erica watched as Aneena seemed to struggle with herself internally, and was disappointed when she shook her head. “No, it is fine. I will not allow my personal issues to color the reasons I am here.”

Erica sighed. “Right. You’re here to critique me and my mates on our parenting skills.”

Aneena frowned. “Why do you say that as if that’s something wrong? We are entrusting you and your mates with two of our most vulnerable. Would that not be the way things are done in the human realm? Or here in the realm of the light Fae?”

Erica winced. “Of course it’s not wrong, and yes, it would be done here and in the human realm. It’s just upsetting to know that those two babies, who own a large part of my heart and soul already, could end up being taken away from me. Can you understand what that would be like? To be given a glimpse of what was possible, to be given everything you ever wanted before you know what that might be, but then face the reality that it might be taken from you?”

A haunted look slipped into Aneena’s eyes for a moment before it cleared, and Erica had a feeling that perhaps the woman knew exactly what that was like.

“I have had things taken from me, so yes, I can understand some of your fears.” Aneena’s words were quiet, and she paused as if unsure of herself. “Lady Eyrica, do you have regrets from the actions of your past?”

Erica was touched that Aneena had decided to open up to her finally, and she tried to choose her words carefully. “I think everyone has some regrets, but we can only do our best to make our choices throughout our lives. There are never guarantees of which paths are the correct ones to choose. Sometimes, you may think that you’ve made the wrong choice, but fate will surprise you.”

“I have regrets … but I hope you are correct. Perhaps one day, I will able to see past them to my fate.”

Erica thought Aneena would say more on the subject, but the woman looked thoughtful, seemingly lost in her head. She wondered, not for the first time, if it was the accident that had taken away her childhood friend that haunted Aneena—the accident that had left Ellie and Finn without their biological parents. Erica had discovered very little about what actually happened that day, other than the fact that Ellie and Finn were still alive because of Aneena, something Erica would be forever grateful for. She wanted to reach out and hug her, to offer her comfort, but Erica wasn’t sure that Aneena would welcome that type of affection from her. The Dark Fae were apparently different about social etiquette, she had recently learned. The moment of sharing passed, and Aneena nodded, her face resuming its normal stoic expression.

“I am here for a few more days,” Aneena said quietly. “I will do my duty to the children as their Duva Matra and to my people as a Dorum council member. At the conclusion of that process, the children will be with whoever will provide them with the rich and loving environment that they deserve. What their parents both wished for them. It still remains to be seen whether that will be here or elsewhere. But remember this, Lady Eyrica. Eylwén and Finwén will forever be Dark Fae. Do not let your desire to be a mother outweigh what is best for them and their future, because I can assure you that I surely will not.”

With that, Aneena left the kitchen, and Erica took a shuddering breath. She honestly had no idea what she would do if Ellie and Finn were taken from her. She felt a wave of love sweep through her from her mating bond, and she embraced the warmth of her mates. She knew without a doubt that they would be heading back for her as quickly as possible having caught her distress.

She left the kitchen, all thought of a light chocolate indulgence gone, knowing that Leo and Ben would come directly to her no matter where she was. She walked back to the nursery and stood between the two cribs staring down at the sleeping babies, her heart swelling with love for them both as a single tear slid down her cheek.

Chapter Five

“I think you two beasties may have gotten more food on me than actually ended up in your tummies.” Leo sighed as he stood from his seat in front of the two highchairs and went to rinse out the washcloth that was covered in pureed pears, along with his shirt and jeans, which had collected most of the mashed peas and squash.

He was still getting the hang of feeding the babies from a spoon. Bottles were certainly much easier to handle, especially once Finn had figured out that blowing a raspberry when his mouth was full of food made his sister laugh every time. Leo had to turn away more than once when he couldn’t stifle the smile in response to his son’s antics, more so when it was followed by the sweet trill of Ellie’s irresistible giggles.

“What is going on in here?” Ben laughed as he walked into the kitchen, taking in the carnage. Leo was scraping the baby food out of his hair. “It looks like a food bomb went off!”

“That’s one way of putting it, isn’t it, squirt?” Leo looked back at Finn, who then decided to show Ben his new trick, blowing what was left of the food in his mouth all over the place, causing both Ellie and Ben to erupt in laughter. “Ben! You can’t laugh. Then he’ll think it’s hilarious and do it all the time.” Leo sighed in defeat.

“Well, I’m sure that Mommy will dissuade him of that notion soon enough. For now, let’s get these two cleaned up.” Ben reached for the clean washcloth that Leo held out and proceeded to wipe Ellie with it since she was the cleaner of the two.

When all the soft pink skin was finally fresh once again, Leo and Ben plucked the children out of their chairs and wandered into the living room. Erica was dealing with some Royal Court issues this afternoon, so Leo was looking forward to some quality daddy-baby bonding time.

They settled the twins on their backs under their favorite mobiles and watched as their quickly developing brains took in all the little toys dancing over their faces. It was so amazing to him how he could see them changing and growing every single day. What a miracle babies are, he thought.

Ellie started to fuss a bit, so Leo grabbed her favorite stuffed giraffe out of the toy bin, and her chubby little fingers grasped onto it as she cooed, as if telling it a story of her own.

It didn’t take Finn long to spot the toy his sister was enjoying and with a furrowed brow, he tried to reach for it, but their little girl was having none of it. Ellie kept making her happy gurgling noises at the giraffe, completely ignoring her brother, who was now making quite a fuss.

“Where’s your lion, Finn? You don’t want Ellie’s silly old giraffe,” Leo murmured as he dug through the toy bin, looking for the stuffed lion that Finn took to bed each night. “It’s not in here, Ben. Did we leave it upstairs in their room this morning?”

“I don’t remember. I’ll run up and check.”

“Maybe I left it in the kitchen?” Leo jumped up and peeked his head around the corner into the other room, searching the kitchen chairs for the fluffy little lion. Seconds later, his hackles rose and Ellie’s sweet little voice had gone quiet. He turned back and gasped as he saw only one baby lying on the play mat. Finn, now happily gurgling, the giraffe firmly in his grip.

“Ellie!” he yelled, his heart felt like it was up in his throat as he searched the room for her. Unless she’d spontaneously started to crawl, there was only one other option. “Ben! This isn’t funny. Do you have Ellie?”

He heard his brother’s frantic footsteps thundering down the stairs, and his mind knew that he hadn’t heard anyone enter the room while he’d looked into the kitchen. Heck, there was no being on Earth or the Veil that could have moved quietly enough to sneak up on his wolf.

“What do you mean, do I have Ellie?” Ben’s face reflected the same fear that was rapidly blossoming in his chest. “Where is she?”

“I just stuck my head in the kitchen, and then poof she was gone!”

Ben raised his nose and inhaled deeply, a look of confusion crossing his face, and then he quickly moved to each possible exit from the room and repeated the action. Of course, in Leo’s shock and panic he’d forgotten to use his most natural sense to look for his daughter. He inhaled deeply himself, taking in the faint sweet smell of the babies’ lunch, then the scent of his son, and then… What the heck? Ellie’s scent was still strongest right where he’d left her, next to her brother on the play mat.

“I don’t understand. I can smell her still right here.” Ben reached out and gently laid a hand down on the mat, but still, there was no sweet little girl. “Her scent hasn’t gone past any of the entryways into this room.”

Leo looked over to where Finn was happily playing with the toy, seeming not at all concerned with the shouting they’d just been doing, which in and of itself should have seemed a bit odd, since they generally didn’t raise their voices around the babies.

“Finn, do you know where Ellie is?” Leo cautiously asked his son.

Ben softly gasped when Finn stopped playing for a second, his eyes briefly looking to where his sister had been playing, and then he went back to ignoring them, chewing on the giraffe’s soft head.

“Do you think … that Finn … that this is some kind of Dark Fae thing?”

“I don’t know, but every instinct I have is telling me she’s still right there on the mat and we both can sense that she didn’t leave through any of the doorways.”

“What should we do?”

“Well, I guess we should call in the reinforcements.” Leo grabbed his phone and quickly dialed the one person he hoped could help them. “Aneena? We need you at the house right now. We’ve got a problem with the twins.”

Ten minutes later, the young Dark Fae burst through the doors, looking ready for battle.

“Where are the babies? What’s wrong?”

“In here,” Leo called out from the den. After what happened, there was no way he or Ben were going to take their eyes off Finn for even one second.

Aneena walked into the room, and her head tilted slightly as if she was sensing something they could not see. Her eyes took in Finn, laying there happy as a clam, and then she looked around the room. “Where is Ellie?”

“That’s our problem. I stuck my head into the kitchen for a moment to see if I could find Finn’s toy because he wanted the one Ellie had, and then suddenly, she vanished. When I looked back, Finn had the giraffe, but Ellie was gone, even though Ben and I can clearly both scent her as if she hadn’t even moved.” The words rushed out of him. Leo tried to temper the panicked tone in his voice, but he was way out of his depth here when it came to Dark Fae magic. What if those members of the Dark Fae council who had opposed them adopting the twins had been right? Were they really prepared to raise these children? Would they be enough?

Aneena knelt down next to the spot that Ellie had last been seen. She closed her eyes and her hands hovered over the area. Leo watched as her brows furrowed for a moment, and then he was baffled as one side of her mouth turned upwards in a slight smile. She spoke low, a string of Fae words that neither himself nor Ben could understand, and then suddenly, just as abruptly as she’d disappeared, Ellie’s sweet little body was right back where they’d left her on the mat. There was a surprised look on her face, and then she saw her toy in her brother’s hands and her lower lip began to quiver right before she began to wail.

“Oh, thank the Goddess!” Ben scooped her up and hugged her tight, trying to soothe her.

“What happened, Aneena?” Leo had to walk over and touch the soft hair on his daughter’s head, just to make certain that she was truly there. His heart was still pounding a fierce beat in his chest. He didn’t want to imagine what they would have done if Aneena hadn’t been with them.

“My best guess is that Finn’s talents are emerging. It appears as though he phased his sister from this plane of existence just enough that she could not be seen, heard, or touched, but not completely, as you were still able to scent her presence.” The Dark Fae eyed Finn speculatively. “It’s quite a talent to have, but it will require a firm upbringing, to be certain.”

Those words terrified Leo. Did this incident mean that Aneena was going to recommend the twins be raised by parents that could match the magic that was developing inside of these two children? He loved Finn and Ellie with all his heart, and he only wanted what was best for them, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t tear him apart to have to let them go.

“We could, perhaps, place a binding spell on their magic until they are old enough to enter into instruction?” Aneena offered quietly.

He looked up at Ben’s face as he took in the Dark Fae’s suggestion, and then he looked at the faces of his children.

“No,” Leo answered, “I don’t want to bind their magic. It’s part of who they are, and we will just have to learn how to deal with it. No one is placing spells on my children.”

Aneena simply nodded once at him before taking her leave of the room. Leo had no idea what she’d thought of his answer, and he didn’t care at the moment. He knew in his heart that he wouldn’t let anyone take away any part of what made his babies special. Leo, Ben, and Erica had been warriors before they were parents. They’d defeated unspeakable evil and saved their people from enslavement. Surely, they could figure out a way to stop two babies from turning their lives upside down with a little magic? He supposed the bigger question was would the Dark Fae council still give them a chance to find a way?

Chapter Six

“I’m going to throw up,” Erica said as she squeezed Ben’s hand tightly. “They won’t even let us hold them.”

“It’ll be all right,” Ben said, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Leo did the same to her other cheek. “Just remember, Erica, that none of this will be on you should they decide against us. I was the one watching her.” His voice was a pained whisper. Ben could almost hear his heart breaking.

“No, Leo,” Erica whispered back harshly. “You did nothing wrong and everything right. You two are the best fathers any child would be lucky enough to have.” She turned to Ben and squeezed his hand again.

Their two weeks were up, and the trio found themselves once again in the Dorum meeting place, awaiting the judgment that could either seal their happy fate or crush them so completely, that Ben feared neither he nor his brother nor their mate would ever recover. Gabe, Braxas, Corrine, and April and her mates were there for support, as well as Ishaya and Graham. No one else other than the council members were allowed in attendance. While it was also mandatory for Finn and Ellie to be in attendance as well, Leo, Ben, and Erica were not allowed to hold them this time. Aneena sat up front with her High Dorum cousins holding Ellie, while Alak held Finn. Ben imagined the council members staring at their children, mentally looking for any damage they inflicted on the babies. Jerks!

He and Leo moved in closer to Erica and held her between them. She could not stop shaking as Aneena recounted her observance of them for the past two weeks. The crowd erupted in laughter as she told them about the diaper explosions, all but the mated coupled who had sneered at them the entire first meeting. They sat silently shaking their heads, waiting to pounce on anything they deemed an infraction, and they got their chance when Aneena began her report on the incident of Ellie’s disappearance and Finn’s budding Dark Fae powers.

“Two weeks and already they lose a child,” the vile woman named Rhana scoffed in clear disgust.

Her mate, Lomer, then added, “We knew they would not be able to handle the powers of the Dark Fae.”

“Silence,” Aeron warned, piercing them with a deadly glare. “You will respect these proceedings. Speak out of turn again, and I will seal your mouths shut indefinitely for your defiance.”

The couple widened their eyes and shrank back in their seats. Ben could see that the threat was not an empty one and that it was well within Aeron’s abilities to deliver such a punishment. Aeron then looked at Aneena and nodded at her to proceed.

“They did not lose her.” Aneena rolled her eyes. “With their sharp senses, they were able to determine that Ellie was there the whole time.” She took a deep breath. “The powers our Dark Fae possess are certainly ones that may be hard for the trio to manage.”

Ben heard Erica suck in a deep gasping breath at Aneena’s words. His own heart beat frantically in his chest. This did not sound promising.

“The wolf shifters were with the children at the time, but were at a complete loss of what to do, so they called me,” Aneena continued. “I suggested that perhaps they could bind the twins’ powers.”

Loud gasps by the council members rang around the room, including Clementeen, the woman who had proposed the trial period, and it had seemed by her facial expressions throughout the proceedings thus far, that her support had been garnered.

Rhana stood. “I believe that I am not out of turn to speak now.” She stabbed the air with her pointer finger as she spoke, and all the while her mate wore a smug look on his face. “To infringe upon the growth of these—”

Aneena interrupted. “They said no,” she stated plainly, looking directly at the woman. As Rhana continued to stand, Aneena went on. “Actually, the shifters looked at me like they wanted to tear me limb from limb for even suggesting to put a spell on ‘their’ children.” Rhana took her seat. “And as I said, Leo called me. He knew full well that I would report this, and yet he called me anyway.”

Aneena turned her gaze back to the front of the room, addressing all the members once again. “I read a human phrase once in a book I was studying about the inhabitants on the other side of The Veil, and it said that it takes a village to raise a child.” She looked at Erica, Ben and Leo. “And they have one. They have the support of true friends. The people they govern adore them, and they have me to help guide them. I have pledged my life to these children as their Duva Matra, a binding oath I intend to keep, but I am not their mother. She is.” Aneena pointed at Erica with her free hand. “I have seen the love of a mother shining through her eyes since the day I saw her with those children. I have seen her wear worry, and joy, and motherly pride. And them,” she said pointing at Ben and Leo, “they are the fathers. I have seen them act ridiculous as they learned how to change a child properly, laughing at one another in the process. They went to great lengths to make their children laugh and smile, and even told them stories about their heritage as if imparting it to their children like it was part of their heritage as well. And I can say without a doubt that their unselfish and unconditional love for their children will always be at the center.”

Ben couldn’t help the elation he felt at this moment. He looked over at Erica to see tears of joy pooling in her eyes. Leo held a hand to his chest, meanwhile.

“Are you ready to proclaim your decision, cousin?” Alak asked her.

“I am,” she said. “I have spent two weeks observing a family, and so I believe they should remain.”

“And you faithfully agree to serve as the Duva Matra for these children, assisting in their education as well as serving your duty on this council?”

Ben knew this was the formality part, and truth be told, he couldn’t care less what they were saying at the moment. He smiled widely as he looked at Ellie and Finn, both of whom were wide awake and looking around the room. He could have sworn that it was for their mom and dads, for them, they were looking.

“I faithfully agree,” Aneena said. “I shall work out a mutually convenient schedule with the Queen and Kings of the Light Fae.” She turned to Erica and smiled. “I also don’t mind babysitting once in a while,” she added with a wink.

“So it shall be,” Alak said, passing his ruling.

“So it shall be,” Aeron repeated. “If there is no cause for objection to address, then I would like to continue on to the final oath from—”

“We have an objection,” Rhana said, pulling up her mate to stand with her. “I suggest you reconsider.” Looking amongst the members of the crowd, she added, “That you all reconsider.” Turning back to face the front, she continued. “Will they need a babysitter as well?” she spat, referring to Erica, Ben, and Leo. “As a Duva Matra, Aneena will no longer be in residence with them. A few hours a day, several times a week at best, does not prevent incidents from occurring the rest of the days.”

Ben had had enough. He stood and faced the evil jerk of a woman. “And we are capable of handling any situation, even if handling means asking for help. Do you and your mate have any children?”

Rhana pursed her lips. “No, but I don’t see how that is relevant.”

“And I can see how you wouldn’t,” Ben said. He gave Erica a gentle squeeze to her hand, letting her know he’d got this. He felt the anger rolling off her, but the last thing they needed right now was for Erica to blast the woman out of existence, despite how much he wanted to see her do it. “I see a bitter, prejudiced woman, who cares nothing for these children, and a mate who only knows how to parrot her. I look at the other council members and can respect that they wanted us to prove ourselves worthy enough to claim these children as our own. Heck, we wanted to be worthy enough. The three of us will spend the rest of our lives proving ourselves worthy to be Ellie and Finn’s parents. You and your mate are the ones I deem unworthy of looking out for anyone’s best interest but your own.” Ben sat back down as Rhana and her mate continued to stand.

And then the room erupted in arguments, all against Rhana and Lomer, except for whatever garbage Rhana was spewing back. Ben had had his say and just tuned her out. He tuned everything out until two loud cries erupted from the front of the room. Ellie and Finn became inconsolable, kicking their little hands and feet out. And then something amazing happened. Wisps of mist emerged from the twins, and they formed them together. The three images they produced out of them were that of two wolves and a smoky apparition of a woman with short, dark hair and blue, electrifying eyes. The sound of arguing had completely stopped.

Aeron spoke first. “I believe the children have made their choice as well.”

Erica stood up when the mists disappeared, and the twins began to cry again. “Please,” she pleaded to Aneena and Alak, who were still holding them.

Both Alak and Aneena came over to the trio and gently handed over the children to them. Ellie and Finn let out a happy gurgling sound before shutting their eyes in peaceful contentedness.

Alak then walked over to the nasty couple, who immediately took their seats again. “The decision is now final.” His words were loud, authoritative, and deadly sounding. “If you have a problem with your High Dorum, feel free to take it up with the one who appointed us. Let’s see if she deems the two of you worthy of speaking to, hmm?”

“We trust in our Goddess’s choice,” Lomer sputtered.

“Good, because as High Dorum, I relieve you of your duty to the council,” Alak proclaimed to both Lomer and Rhana. “I no longer deem your counsel valuable to the Dark Fae. This is not the first time your prejudice for other races has come to light. There is no place in our Goddess’s grace for those with such darkness within.”

“You can’t do that!” Rhana exclaimed loudly, an annoying shrill to her voice.

Ben watched Aeron roll his eyes, while Alak, looking like he was seconds away from strangling the pair, said, “You’re right. The decision must be unanimous between the High Dorum. Brother?”

“Get out of my sight,” Aeron said to them.

“There. It’s unanimous,” Alak said with a smirk.

Rhana curled her lip in disgust, and then she and her mate proceeded towards the exit in a loud stomping fashion while muttering what Ben could only assume were curses in their Dark Fae language.

Before they reached the exit, Alak added one more parting threat to the couple. “I suggest the two of you continue to live peacefully, lest you find yourselves being forcefully removed—by me—from the village.”

Rhana and her mate finished the rest of their exit quietly this time.

Once they were gone, it was time for the final oath to be taken and then Ben, Leo, and Erica would be officially deemed Ellie and Finn’s parents.

Aeron and Alak asked each of them individually to vow their bond of parenthood and all three easily answered in turn, “I vow it.”

More wisps of some kind emerged from Alak and Aeron, circling first the children and then the parents, literally binding them to each other as a family.

Forever.

Chapter Seven

Mine. My children.

Even now, hours after the decision was handed down by Alak and Aeron, and Ellie and Finn were declared theirs, the thrill of it hadn’t dissipated. Erica stood in the doorway to the nursery, watching her babies sleep, her heart filled to overflowing. She didn’t have the gift of foresight like Corrine had, but Erica was dang sure of one thing. She would spend the rest of her life protecting, loving, and cherishing her children, and knew beyond a doubt that Ben and Leo would be right beside her doing the exact same thing.

As if conjured by her thoughts, but probably more by her absence, she knew her mates were making their way toward her. The three of them had fallen into bed in a hurry to love on each other for a long while after they had settled Ellie and Finn for the night, not only in celebration of their family, but also to revel in the love and emotions that bound them as mates, as husbands and wife, and now as parents.

“I think this is what our life is going to be like from now on, Leo,” Ben said in a dry, but playful tone as he stepped up to her left and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m going to have to agree with you,” Leo answered as he took his place on her right his arm sliding around her hip, and she was nestled between her mates, just as the Goddess had fated it to be.

Erica sighed contentedly as she slipped an arm around each of the men and tucked her head on Ben’s shoulder. “What are you to talking about?”

Ben pressed a kiss to her temple. “The fact that if our mate is not at our side—”

“Or in our bed,” Leo added.

“Good point, or in our bed where she was supposed to be, passed out in sated bliss or at the very least reveling in the afterglow of our lovemaking, then she will no doubt be with our pups. Case in point, we find you here, staring at our children and watching over them as they sleep. So, Leo and I figure that that’s going to be our lot in life. We will come second to our daughter and our son, and I for one am absolutely okay with that.”

Erica grinned, tilting her head to look up at him. “I bet that wouldn’t be the case if it were anyone or anything else that drew my attention.”

Erica laughed as both Ben and Leo growled at her, Leo even going so far as to lean in and press a bite to her neck in mock threat. Her reaction to that was nothing but pleasurable. Her mates’ growls changed, taking on the tone that told her they had scented the change in her body as arousal spiraled within her.

“I love how you respond to us,” Leo murmured against her skin, making her shiver.

Ben’s hand slipped between the opening of her robe, and he groaned as his hand encountered soft, warm skin. “I think it’s only fair that you get excited as quickly as we do. The scent of your arousal is enough to have my toe throbbing in need for you, but add the feel of your skin to the mix and I am seconds away from laying you across the nearest flat service and taking you. Hard.”

Erica’s heart rate sped up at that thought, and she felt her body tighten even further. “I think,” her voice was a sultry mix of need and breathless anticipation, “that sounds almost perfect.”

“Almost, love?” Leo asked as he gently swayed into her, letting her feel the strength and steel of his own arousal. “What would make it perfect for you, because you have to know that Ben and I live to give you what you want? What you need.”

Ben rolled her erect nipple between his fingers making Erica whimper. “I want both my mates. Together.”

Erica heard both her men inhale sharply a split second before her world tilted on its axis as Leo swept her up and into his arms. His mouth slammed into hers, and Erica felt his kiss to the very tips of her toes. Her mates never did anything by half, and when they kissed her, they poured everything they were and everything they felt for her into their kisses.

As always, Erica lost herself in the moment, and when she was aware once more of everything around her, she was naked, straddling Leo’s hips as he lay back at the foot of their bed. Somehow, he had managed to take off the pajama pants he had taken to wearing when Aneena moved in, and she could feel the hot, smooth head of his cock pressing against her.

Breaking the kiss so she could sit up a little, she grinned down at her handsome mate, reaching between her legs to stroke his erection, loving the flicker of color in his eyes that told her his control wavered. There was nothing more powerful for her than knowing she had the ability to push her mates to the edge of their legendary control.

Leo groaned, arching back as she pumped her hand along his cock, just the way she knew he liked it most. “Don’t play with me, baby. Take me in … take me all the way in.”

Heart beating wildly, she moved and slowly pressed the head of his toe to her entrance so that it easily slid inside of her. Unable to resist, she tilted her head down to watch him slip into her body. She rotated her hips as she took him all the way to the hilt, not stopping until she was settled completely against his thighs.

“Oh, Goddess,” she moaned as she placed her hands against the hard planes of his chest and threw her head back, reveling in the heat and slight pinch within that told her she had every inch of him.

“So hot, so tight,” Leo moaned, and she felt his body tremble beneath her fingers. “You had better hurry up, Ben, or you are going to miss this round.”

Erica continued to roll her hips in small, tight figure eights, enjoying the sensations the movements sparked in her clit. She heard Ben moving behind her, and then she felt his hand pressing slightly on her lower back.

“Move forward a little, baby. I want to make sure you are ready for me.”

Erica moved to place her hands on either side of Leo’s shoulders, her movements bringing her face closer to his.

“Hey,” she whispered, her gaze locked with his.

“Hey back, my love,” Leo murmured, lifting a hand to gently sweep her hair from her face.

Erica stiffened as Ben began to ply her body with the cold lubricant he was using. She bit her lip on a groan when he used it to gain entry to her rear. Her eyes closed on the sensory overload as Ben began to scissor his fingers within her, using them to ensure that when he finally took her, he gave her nothing but pleasure and that small hint of burn that always had her begging for more. She whimpered when he removed them, feeling bereft.

A few seconds later he was back. “Here I come, baby,” he said sounding a little breathless, and Erica was pleased that he was just as affected by his attentions as she was. “Push out, that’s it.”

Erica groaned at the feel of him pushing into her body, the slight pinch and burn as he stretched her added to the sensuous heat of arousal that had been building within her. She held her breath for a moment, and then released it in a rush when he was finally seated within her and she held both her mates in her body.

“Idiot,” Ben growled, the sound loud in the room. “I gotta move, baby.”

“Yes, please! Move!” Erica cried out.

Ben withdrew, and Erica moved a little to give Leo some room of his own to maneuver, and then she was unable to really think at all. Ben and Leo began a steady rhythm, one that was completely in sync so that she alternated between being full and completely taken, to almost bereft at the loss of both of them. The room filled with their shared sounds of pleasure, and Erica could feel her release building to epic proportions within her.

It wasn’t long until their smooth movements dissolved into desperate thrusts, both her mates pounding into her, reaching for their own releases as they hovered just out of reach. Erica keened as her body began to shake, poised on the edge of the abyss. Leo and Ben both slammed into her at the same time once again, and that was all it took.

“I’m coming!” she wailed as her body flew off the edge and a tidal wave of pleasure crashed down on her. Her entire body shook and shuddered with the power of her release, but she heard both men cry out their own pleasure and she felt them jerking inside of her, their own orgasms seeming as epic and turbulent as her own.

Erica felt her release peak again, and unbelievably she came a second time, and she simply gave herself over to it. When she was finally able to open her eyes and concentrate on her surroundings, she had no idea how much time had passed. The room was mostly dark, but the curtains were open and the light of the moon lit the room in a beautiful white light. She was cuddled between her mates, the light cover pulled up over all of them as they simply basked in the afterglow.

“Wow,” Erica whispered in a voice that held a slight rasp to it.

Ben laughed softly from his place pressed against her from behind. “You can say that again, pixie. Every dang time we take you like that I think it can’t get any better, but the next time we prove that it can.”

Erica laughed with her men and sighed, snuggling closer to Leo’s chest. Before Finn and Ellie came into their lives, Erica was happier than she had ever thought she had the right to be, but there was always this shadow in her heart that her men couldn’t quite reach. That place in a woman’s heart that belonged only to her children. When she had found out that her ability to have children naturally had been taken from her, she had thought she would never be able to fill that void. Finn and Ellie filled it to overflowing, and yet Erica knew that if the opportunity or need arose, she had more love in her heart for any that might need her.

As clichéd as it sounded, it made her happy to see others in her life finding the same happiness. April had Donovan and Jason. Corrine had her Alphas Gabe and Braxas. Their sphere of family and friends was expanding, and Erica loved it. There was someone for everyone. That thought brought the images of Aeron and Alak to her mind.

She had spoken with both of them after the proceedings that afternoon, and they had both seemed preoccupied. If Erica were a betting woman, she would have put money on the fact that the two were more than a little frustrated. With the discovery of those cuffs that had held Kat captive and the sword used on Gabe, both of which had been infused with some kind of Dark Fae black magic, they had a lot on their plate. But Erica had a feeling that perhaps the frustration they were feeling was more on the sexual side than anything. The thought of the High Dorum, all powerful and dominant, being fated to a woman who was probably more dominant than any female they had ever encountered before, had her giggling.

“What’s got you laughing, mate?” Leo asked.

“I was thinking about Alak and Aeron.” Both men tensed. “Oh, stop it, both of you. I love you with all my heart, and you are both the hottest things on legs as far as I’m concerned. No, I was thinking about the journey we have been on so far. We have more questions than answers when it comes to the Dark Fae faction that’s causing trouble for all of us. Then you add in the fact I am pretty sure both men recognized Kat as more than just a beautiful shifter with a mean streak a mile long.”

“You think they are fated?” Leo asked, before barking out a laugh. “Idiot, I hope so. Those mongrels need a woman who can hold her own with them, not to mention the fact I plan to be in the front row with a big bucket of popcorn to watch that relationship unfold.”

“Kat won’t give in without a fight, for sure,” Ben added, and Erica could hear the amusement in his tone. “Leo and I have fought and worked beside her plenty of times when we were Gabe’s enforcers. She’s a stubborn one.”

Erica felt a shiver roll over her skin, and a small tendril of dread unfurled within her. A premonition of things to come perhaps. “And that, I fear, is what is coming their way.”

The three of them fell into silence for a moment. Erica shook her head slightly to clear those thoughts. They were for another time and in the light of day. This time was precious, and it belonged to the three of them.

“Have I told you both that I adore you?” Erica kept her tone light.

“More than once, my love,” Ben murmured, and she felt him press a kiss to her shoulder. “You are the love of our lives, the light to our dark and the mother of our children.”

Erica felt the slight tingle of tears at his words.

Leo rolled so that he lay facing her, his gaze locked with hers. “When we first met you in that alleyway, when you were wielding your sword and fighting for your life and looking so beautiful, you stole our hearts. When you fled from us in order to save your world, we felt as if we were chasing fate with every step we took to get to you.”

Erica reached up to touch his cheek even as she reached out to lay her right hand along Ben’s thigh. “Now look at where we are. Married, mated, fated, and parents to two beautiful children. Catching fate led us to this moment, and I thank the Goddess every day that she deemed me worthy of being your mate.”

Erica had often thought of fate as a fickle beast who toyed with the emotions and lives of those it was destined to help. But now she figured the Fates knew exactly what they were doing. All they really needed was faith.

The End

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