She still had yet to open her eyes. The link between them strummed to life when his massive hands gripped her shoulders, and she finally lifted her lids to lock with his hazel orbs. He was closer than she expected, but it did not startle her. His cocoa skin flexed over his muscles as he lowered her to the pillows beneath them. There was something methodical in his touch, a gentleness she knew did not fit Zion’s image, despite his scary expression. Zion was the first of the men she trusted, but he also was her type. The strong, silent kind of man.
His warmth pressed ever closer until he leaned over her, his eyes narrowed in desire. It was a gaze that set her body aflame, and she automatically reached out to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders, feeling the muscles flex beneath her fingertips. Zion seemed to grow hotter under the feel of her hands on his back, and he locked eyes with her. Part of Catherine felt it was too soon to trust herself to him like this, but she could feel his affection in his touch. His emotions through that ‘link’ he always spoke of. Zion said little out loud, but it was there, under the facade the man built for himself.
‘I always, always, want to touch you. You are much like a drug to us, your husbands, and we cannot help but be drawn to you. Because of your mark. Because of you.’ His voice whispered into her head, and she shivered as his hand pulled her dress lower. ‘You could turn your back on us, on Cathy’s promises, but you are just as she said in the dream. She promised she selected someone worthy of us and begged I trust her.’ Zion’s tongue trailed down her right breast as the flesh came into view, and her fingers tightened into his bare back. ‘Begged, I trust you. So, I will. And I will love you in the way I could not love her.’
Whatever block there was between them disappeared with her dress, and his feverish hands slid down her flesh, making her spine pull as tight as a bow. Lias leaked around them, setting the cavern to sparkle under their Majyk, but her entire being focused on him. Every sense, from touch to taste, sound to scent, focused on his cocoa skin, and her body seemed to come alive from every nerve-ending. His musk, the scent of pine in her nose, enhanced everything, and the sound of his husky, heavy groans filled her ears. Every touch was gentle, as though it were a dream and not a reality for him, and when their lips met, she felt her body tense with release.
She did not expect it, so when his fingers stroked down her flesh to her core, her mouth fell open in a moan, again. She soaked through her strange underclothes, reminding her she only bathed once since coming here. Catherine flinched at the reminder, and backed away when his glowing, passionate gaze froze her in place. His nose was shifting, and she could tell he was sniffing her. Maybe a result of him being a Werewolf. When his face drifted lower, to her core, a hot moan parted her lips, and her spine arched again.
The feel of his heated tongue against her chilled flesh caused her to cry out, her toes curling in ecstasy. With him like this, catering to her every desire before she knew she wanted it, her eyesight went white, as yet another release ripped through her being. Had she known it would feel like this, she could see herself getting involved sexually with these men much sooner. Her heavy lids lifted, revealing a sparkling brown and pink mist-like aura around them, and her lower stomach tightened. That was their Lias merging. His thoughts supplied, his finger pressed into her core, and her glowing purple eyes closed again.
It felt beyond amazing. Catherine barely knew what to do with herself, and her head shook from side to side in pleasure as his massive hands gripped her thighs open. With his tongue and fingers seeking her ecstasy, her cries grew louder, until her entire being begged for more of his touch. She climaxed hard, so hard it made her stomach hurt, and fell back against the pillows, breathing hard. Foreplay NEVER felt like that back on Earth. She thought for a second before looking back down at him. His eyes were glowing even brighter in the ethereal atmosphere, and her breath caught in her throat.
“I can no longer wait, Catherine.” He breathed, before she watched him shift out of the fabric of his pants, and his massive length came into view, making her swallow. “I will be gentle.”
Catherine arched her spine, a hiss falling from her lips as he entered her, and her eyes widened in unconcealed surprise. Cathy was a virgin. Teeth sank into her lower lip as pain ripped through her soul, causing Zion to wince. It hurt. Worse than anything she ever experienced on Earth, and her heart throbbed. But she wanted him. She wanted this. And Catherine knew how amazing sex could be with a man who wanted her. When his pained, glowing, hazel eyes met hers, she gave him a weak smile. Despite what she wanted, that did not ease her pain right away.
“I am sorry, Catherine. I know it hurts.” The words were sobering. “Please forgive me. I feel your pain.” She locked eyes with him to find the pain burning bright in his eyes. “We are Intirmates. Connected body, soul, and spirit to you and only you. And it connected you to us the same.”
Her eyes widened. They could feel each other’s pain? When she tensed, he shushed her like a child, his hand reaching up to cup her cheek, wiping away the tear rolling down it. Though he seemed to be in an immense amount of pain, he was doing his best to insure she was comfortable, and that made her fall a little more for the massive man silently stroking her cheek. How was she able to adjust to this difference so quickly? She wondered before his lips pressed to hers again, reminding her of the mind-blowing pleasure she felt earlier. Her spine arched again, making her sensitive breasts brush his chest, and she moaned into his mouth.
“She never shared her Lias with us. Perhaps she knew it would drive her mad with lust…” He spoke gently into her ear, making her shiver, and him grunt. “But I am happy to love Catherine Jenkins. Happy to share my Lias with her.”
She could not speak. Catherine barely remembered she was who he was talking about because she did not really recognize her own name. The pleasure of him within her wiped her thoughts further, and she could feel every inch of him pressing deeper. He took his time until it felt as though he were expanding within her. Her jaw dropped in a moan, and he caught her lips with his, his tongue diving deep to stroke at hers. The pain transformed to pleasure immediately, and his groans in that deep tenor made her skin fill with goosebumps.
Her tongue stroked back at his, and his hands gripped at her thighs until she felt the tips of his claws pressing into her hips. Finding it oddly erotic, her eyes narrowed in ecstasy, and her arms tightened around his neck. The ethereal atmosphere sparkling with Lias, the slow pace of their lovemaking, the smell of firewood burning, and their sweaty bodies shifting together, his massive form holding her close as their lips locked over and over. She locked her thighs around his hips, feeling his lower-half pulse deep within her, making her mind go white again.
“Cath…” He groaned, as his movements grew erratic and random. “Hah!”
She collapsed against the pillows as Zion threw his head back, a ground shaking howl parting his snarled lips. Catherine watched in amazement as a shadow reflected on the cave ceiling above showed a silhouette of a massive wolf in it, its neck arched in a howl matching Zion. Her eyes widened in awe, and the surrounding Lias faded. He was beautiful. Zion had a rough, rugged beauty, the kind she always wanted to find in her world. Then it hit her. When had she grown so accustomed to this world, she was willing to have sex with a stranger? But his thoughts curled into her mind, and she sank further into the pillows, sleep taking over her mind.
~~~~~
‘Do not panic when your eyes open. Silas dressed you because I am unfamiliar with your robes.’ Zion’s voice seemed even louder in her mind, and she blearily opened her eyes, blinked once, then flushed. ‘You do not need to be embarrassed. It is natural that we mated last night.’
She shifted to sit on the pillows and looked around the cave. Gunther was likely back near the spring he made, and Silas was sitting near the firepit. There were a few pieces of furniture in there that were not there before. What appeared to be a wardrobe sat near the entrance, and the main area of the cave looked larger, too. A few feet from the pillow pile there looked like a door to another area, and she could see the enormous bed from where she was. Unfortunately, her legs felt like mush, even from where she sat, so she looked around the now larger cave.
“We increased the size of the Cavern since it suits our needs. I suppose congratulations is in order?” Silas wondered without batting an eye. “Seems you grew closer with Zion thanks to the storm.”
“It doesn’t bother you?” Her voice echoed a little in the larger cave and she startled. “It’s like I cheated…”
“No, though I cannot speak for all of us. You learned the truth of Cathy’s purity last night.” He countered; his eyes narrowed. “Our marriages were never consummated. That you consummated with Zion means you now accept your position here. And that means it is my right to mate with you next.”
How did he figure that? Her eyes narrowed, but Silas shrugged, and something told her he did not really care. Honestly, it felt like he hated her. Like he could not stand to even look in her direction, if his careful aversion of her eyes was any sign. And it hurt. Was it because of her growing trust in him? Something told her the more she felt for these people, the more she would not want to go home. But how did she avoid him? He was her second husband. If she did not speak to him, Zion could kill him, if her understanding was correct of their policies. Did he ever love Cathy? With the way he spoke, it was like he was disrespecting Cathy’s body.
“I loved Cathy from the time we met, well before we reached maturity. Cathy. Not Catherine.” He countered her thoughts without glancing her way. “You may inhabit her body, but you are not her. So, I will never treat you as I did her.”
“You disrespect her choice. So much for your love.” Zion answered, stepping between the two. “If you continue to disrespect your Tatiana, I will find another Fae for her and condemn you to death.”
“Wait, Zion.” Catherine whispered, startling the men. “It’s okay. I actually understand his thinking. He loved Cathy before. That should not condemn him. That law should be abolished. If Silas does not wish to remain married to me because I am not her, he should be free to leave. Same for Gunther.”
“But Catherine…” Zion started, but she shook her head.
“I accepted the three of you as my husbands without understanding the weight of that promise. Silas, if you wish to leave, you have my blessing.” She continued, looking across the cave at him. “If anyone pursues you, tell them I okayed your leave.”
Silence filled the room, and Zion locked eyes with Silas, before leaving through the exit. For a while, the two sat there, not saying a word. Then Silas stepped forward, bringing with him a clay bowl full of weird black liquid. He gently placed it in her hands, his cool touch lingering for a moment before he pulled away and looked into her eyes. Her heart pounded hard in her chest when his hand reached out to cup her cheek. When she felt his Lias pour into her, his memories formed like a slideshow in her mind. Again, something clicked into place, and his deep cool voice sounded in her head.
‘You would allow me to leave, even though it hurts you?’ His question startled her from her thoughts, and she looked into his face. ‘You have not yet mastered the ability to hide your feelings from me. You are Intermated to the three of us. Did Zion not explain?”
“He explained the more you share Lias while showing affection, the closer we would become.” Catherine countered, pulling away from him. “I cannot see how my freeing you from your duties earned you sharing Lias with me.”
“You let me decide. You did not order me to stay, and gave me an option to leave.” Silas replied coolly, cupping her cheek again with his chilly hands. “So let me share the memories with you. Then you will understand why I cannot treat you as I did her.”
He first met his arranged bride fifteen years prior, before she became the Tatiana. Her father, determined to find someone who would accept his strange daughter for forever, searched across the kingdom of the Fae until he happened upon Silas. And what was strange about Cathy? She was far smaller than the other women. While most women were closer to the males in height, Cathy was slim, with beautiful white hair, shining purple eyes, and for Silas, it was love at first sight. She was so small he wanted to protect her. So beautiful when she smiled, that when her father offered her hand, Silas was the first to accept."I have been searching for an Intirmate for her for as long as I can remember. Someone who would love her as soon as they met." The older Fae said in a shaky voice. "I do not care if you are a Dark Fae. Please make her happy.""Of course." Silas replied coolly, glancing over the old man's shoulder at the young Cathy. "May I introduce myself?"Silas ste
Gunther remembered when he agreed to the marriage. His father demanded he marry the Tatiana, the only woman who could bear him strong heirs. Then he met her three days before their Intirmating Ceremony, as was tradition for his people. She was beautiful, with pointed ears, glowing purple eyes, and long white tresses down her spine. Flawless skin, a beautiful pale white, with long white eyelashes. She wore such innocence in her eyes, something he found agreeable since he was not interested in a woman who was not. Cathy was ethereal, and Gunther was proud he won the approval of Silas and Zion.“Tatiana, I am honored to stand before you, a Dragon who has won mating rights.” Gunther bowed, but slipped and landed right on his face before her. “Uh…”“Haha…” She giggled, making him look up at her flushed face, and his heart throbbed. “Are you okay?”~~~~~Catherine was noth
~~~~~Catherine rarely found herself impressed by someone’s consideration before. But she could not help but be in awe of her youngest husband. Though he pretended to hate every second, he still helped her to the bathroom. And maybe he thought she did not notice, but she could tell his soap was homemade. It smelled of soft lavender and reminded her of her baths back on Earth. A tear rolled down her cheek, and Gunther appeared from nowhere, making her cover her chest under the bubbling hot water. Clear panic was written all over his face, and his distressed appearance almost made up for his nearly seeing her naked. No matter if he was her husband or not, he was still a stranger to her.“Is the water too hot?!” He cried out, and she felt his Lias swell. “Sorry, I was thinking back to when you first looked at me.”“Huh?” she wondered dumbly, before shouting in embarrassment. “No! The water’s fine!&
“Silas…” Catherine started, but Gunther interrupted.“Do we need to move out?” He asked, not glancing at her. “How close are Queen Susanne and her allies?”“Gunther…” she tried, but Silas ignored her outcry.“Too close.” Zion nodded, scooping Catherine into his arms. “Gather Catherine’s things. We’re leaving.”“Zion…” But he did not spare her a glance, so she crossed her arms in a huff. “I see how things are. Fine, I’ll shut up.”Without another word, she found herself on the enormous back of Zion as the sight of the cave disappeared behind her. Catherine felt a little nostalgic as she watched the mouth of her home for the past two months disappear, but she startled when she realized it, and shook the thoughts from her head. For now, the focus needed to be on staying alive. If someone was after them, they likely not
Gunther felt it was his job to protect her, yet here she was, shielding him against Zion’s and Silas’s glares. He failed her, yet she proclaimed his innocence. Why was she always surpassing his expectations? Catherine was nothing like the Cathy he remembered. She was always crying out for help, pretending she was in danger, and acting like a spoiled child. Catherine did her best to make him comfortable, and it was for that he could find her easing into his heart. His Lias leaked, moving towards his Intirmate, but he blocked it, still unable to face almost hurting her.“While we were in the sky, he activated his Lias to make sure I was comfortable. Doing so alerted our enemies, and he took the hit they intended for me.” Catherine spoke softly, using her bare hand to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. “So, he did not FAIL you. I failed him.”He weakly opened his eyes to look into her concerned purple eyes. Even though he knew he messed
Silence met his ears first. Then the soft chirp of birds in the distance and the crackle of a fire nearby. Gunther could feel pillows under his body, and he clenched his eyes before opening them. He was on his back under the swaying branches of some tall trees. His red eyes looked around to find the back of Catherine near the fire, Silas reading some parchment in a branch on one of the tall trees, and Zion was stalking the perimeter in the distance, but Gunther could still sense his Lias. As if sensing his movements, Catherine turned to look at him before she looked up into the trees, her purple eyes shimmering.Gunther watched Silas leave, and she approached the pillows with an apologetic expression on her face. Was she going to abandon him? He failed her, so he could not blame her. But when she sat and lifted his head into her lap, he froze. What was she doing? Gentle fingertips stroked through his hair, making his horns appear. This was something only Intirmates could do.
The pain did not last long, and a few days later, Catherine was up and moving around again. After all the work to make their camp more comfortable for the four of them, she sat down to meditate for the day. Her spine relaxed, and she let her eyes drift closed after crossing her legs under her. Silas’s teachings flooded into her mind, and she found her center, her thoughts easing into her meditative state. Her source. The Lias burning bright within her chest. Since she began practice with it, it was much easier to access the Majyk of Erlias. She inhaled the scent of the surrounding woods, the sound of the birds chirping, and the feel of the breeze on her cheeks. A visage appeared before her, someone familiar yet not.“You have mastered accessing Lias, I see. I was right to choose you to take my place.” Cathy’s voice whispered, and Catherine’s eyes widened. “Your bond with Zion, Silas, and Gunther grows ever stronger. You will sa
‘Catherine, how did you access my powers to shift?’ Zion asked as she settled into his arms for the night. ‘Why did you withhold the information from me?’“I don’t know. All I did was think that I did not know how to fight, and I remembered seeing you fight once before.” She replied into the quiet night air. “So, all I did was channel the Lias into shifting and turned into a wolf, like you.”“It should not be possible.” Gunther replied from her other side, and she looked up into his glowing red eyes. “I’ve never heard of a Queen shifting to her Intirmate’s form before.”Maybe because she did it, she did not think it that strange, but seeing their response to it was unnerving. The way they made it sound like it was dangerous meant she should be careful in the future. The only one who had yet to say anything was Silas. He was standing, something already unusual, but his mutte