Freya's Mates (6 page)

With no energy left to fight or reflect, she threw herself onto
the mattress and cried.  It had been so long since she allowed herself to cry. 
Those first years alone, without her sisters, she'd cried herself to sleep most
nights.  But as time passed, she grew numb.  Now she reveled in her status of
stone cold bitch.  It was safer that way.  But also exhausting.

"Don't cry."
  The male voice soothed her like a
gentle breeze.  Rather than flinch or leap to attention, she stayed put,
savoring the feel of Vincent's hand rubbing soft circles over her back. Her
energy to keep fighting seemed to drain away along with her tears. "I'm
sorry for upsetting you.  I'm an idiot."

She shook her head.  "It's not your fault."

"Roll over."  He urged her to her back with a gentle
nudge.  "Tell me what's going on.  Drop the act for two minutes and tell
me what's really bothering you."  He stopped and took a deep breath,
opening his mouth to speak a couple times, but stopping himself. "Freya,
I'm not the man I appear to be.  I'm not good at guessing games; you have to
talk to me."

Why continue to fight?  Vincent believed they were fated for each
other, and male shifters were known for recognizing the scent of their mate. 
Maybe he was right, maybe she should allow the sexy blond cougar to mark her.
Her days of running would be over and she could finally know the love of a man,
just like Carna and her mates.  But accepting Vincent meant rejecting Gideon
and Darius.  Any relationship with the human was already impossible and there
was no way a dominant lion shifter would share his mate.  The idea of a ménage
mating was the norm for her and all royal females in her family lineage, but
outside the royal family it was a rarity.

"I'm tired of running, but it's all I know.  If I stop now
I'll let down my sister and myself."

"What are you running from?"

"My calling. Being forced into a loveless mating." 
That was it wasn't it?  Over the years the running became more of a habit and
less of an act of defiance.

He leaned over her, supporting his weight on those strong arms. 
"I promise I'd love you, Freya.  I know it's soon, but I've never been
more certain about anything."

"I want to believe you, but every time I trust a male it
seems to blow up in my face.  How do you know it's not just my blood calling
you?"

He brushed his cheek against hers, prickly with stubble, and
gently nipped on her ear lobe. "I don't care about your blood."  His
hot lips moved down her neck. Would he bite her?  Would she stop him?

Gods it would be refreshing if a man could love her for who she
was.  Boy meets girl.  No royal blood, no burden to continue the races, no
running and hiding.

"Vincent…"  She couldn't resist, not when his hot
breath defrosted her icy exterior.  Freya needed to be loved, to be wanted. 
She could only go so long in isolation, of knowing every male advance had
nothing to do with a desire for her or her wolf.

"Just tell me what you like.  I need your help,
sweetheart."  He snaked his hand under the hem of her dress, smoothing
those skilled fingers along her sensitive flesh.  She still recalled his talent
behind the bar as he played with the numerous bottles.  As she'd watched him,
she couldn’t help but imagine what kind of lover he'd be.

He cupped her breast, testing the size and softness. "That. 
I like that," she stuttered.

"Good girl."

Vincent began to undress her. She assisted him, lifting her hips,
then each arm.  The cool air made her nipples pebble and chilled the wetness
between her legs.  He must be able to scent the rich musk of her arousal, yet
he showed considerable control for a shifter.  The cougar took his time,
exploring her body with thoroughness.  His tongue, mouth, and hands brought her
to new heights of desire.  How would she handle making love to him?  Just the
thought of him filling her, marking her, made her pussy throb in anticipation. 
Yes, she wanted Darius, but knew their union was an impossibility.  Vincent's
offer to be her mate was real, tangible.

When he pressed two digits into her cunt, she gasped from the
electricity that sparked within every cell of her body.  With the full moon
weeks away, this wanton desire had to be the result of a true mating.  Vincent
truly was her mate, but didn't she feel this way when Darius touched her?  She
focused her thoughts on the man above her—his scent, his dominance, his
overpowering lust directed at her. At least she couldn’t inadvertently harm
him.  He was a cougar, and if her wolf became a little frisky, he'd be able to
handle it.  Not having to worry about letting go allowed her inhibitions to
vanish. She growled as he pumped his fingers torturously slow, curling them,
just so, to drive her wild.  Freya arched up, attempting to spur him to go
faster, harder.

"Tell me what you want, Freya.  You have to tell me." 
His wicked mouth descended on her breast, sucking and tugging the bundle of
nerves.  She closed her eyes and absorbed all the wondrous sensations, writhing
beneath him. 

"Take your clothes off," she said.  She'd seen him in
his tight t-shirt, but her imagination could only go so far.  The muscles outlined
beneath his clothing would no doubt be superior in the flesh.

"As you wish, m'lady."  His voice was deep and rich,
teasing her when her body was already heating from the inside out.  Vincent
rose, straddling her legs as he tugged off his t-shirt.  He had tattooed bands
on his arms, common for shifters who liked to connect with their roots.  She'd
seen them on several others, especially in her home town where history of the
races was revered. They told a story and represented honor and masculinity
amongst males.  Just looking at the black ink made her pussy clench.  His pecs
and abs were hard sculpted muscle.  She looked between his intense blue eyes
and the strength of his body, unable to get her fill of the sight of him.

What she needed was his pants off and him falling between her
legs.  She felt void and achy, itching with need.

He stared down at her, trailing just a fingertip along the plane
of her neck. He made every touch feel intimate and all consuming, pulling her
into his world.  "Untouched," he growled.

She shook her head.  "I'm not a virgin."  Only last
night she'd had relations with her human lover.

"You're unmarked.  No love bite."  His chest rose and
fell as if his control was paper-thin.  She wanted his control to waver. When
he opened his mouth to breathe, she noticed the tips of strong incisors peeking
below his upper lip. Gods she wanted to feel those fangs sinking deep as he
cock penetrated her cunt.

He unbuckled his belt, and she watched his every move. 
Yes
. 
Just as she anticipated sweet relief, the door swung open, colliding against
the wall in a thunderous bang.

Chapter
Five

He'd had his misgivings about leaving the club for the night, but
he decided it was in his best interest to clear his mind before taking the
biggest leap of his life.  Freya was his mate, but also a virtual enemy
considering she was one of the royals.  But she was nothing like her mother or
the women before her.  Rather than embracing her gift and lot in life, she ran
from it, looking for love instead.

The moment he arrived at the club the next day, he knew something
wasn't right.  His employees appeared stiff and a nervous tension lingered in
the air. "Brady, she's safe and sound, isn't she?"

One of the best men on his security crew, next to Jacob, had an
uneasy look in his eyes. "Yes, sir."

"What's the problem?"  Gideon surpassed all males in
size.  Lions were known for their large builds and strength.  Right now he was
glad because if harm came to Freya during his absence, someone would pay,
friend or not.  

"No problem." Brady pounded on the door with the heel
of his boot, a guilty look crossing over his usually vacant expression.

Gideon didn't wait to find out.  He brushed his bouncer aside. 
Once at the entrance he could scent Freya's desire like perfume to his senses. 
She wasn't alone.  He tossed open the door, ready to fight for his mate. 

She was sprawled on Jacob's old bed, his right-hand man kneeling
over her, half naked. The violent anger that had begun to burn in his chest
subsided.  He'd never told Vincent he planned to mate with the wolf, so he
essentially did nothing wrong.  But why was Vin attracted to her? Her royal
blood would have no effect on the cougar, and he wasn't a player.  On the rare
occasion he screwed around with a woman, it was on his own time, and he wasn't
proud of his natural needs.  

"Gideon! 
Shit
."  Vincent climbed off the bed,
tossing a blanket over the princess before facing him. "It's not what it
looks like."

"You were about to fuck her." 

He shrugged.  "Maybe.  But I have good reason. Actually I
need to talk with you about it."

"Tell me now, Vincent.  My patience is wearing thin."

"She's my mate.  At least I think she is."

Freya sat up in the bed, a scowl marring her delicate features.
"You
think
?  That doesn't inspire much confidence in me, especially
when you were ready to mark me for life."

"You, my little wolf, should keep quiet.  In one day you've
managed to take hold of my two best men, yet you fight me at every turn."

"I don't know what your intentions are.  Vincent isn't even
sure if I'm his mate.  The only male I've trusted to date is Darius, but he's a
human."  Her voice sounded pained, a mix of unfulfilled desire and
confusion.

Gideon sat on the side of the bed.  He wasn't surprised when she
shrunk away from him, taking the blanket with her.  "Freya, I haven't told
you this because I was hoping it wasn't true—but you should know.  My lion has
been begging me to mark you.
You're mine
. "

"Your mate? Why you filthy lion!  Is this how you treat a
woman fated to you?"

"I've already apologized for yesterday.  Did I not tell you
we'd talk today?  I want to help you, Freya, even if you choose not to be with
me."

She had no retort for him.  After glancing in Vincent's
direction, her nervous energy grew.  "If I'm your mate, then he must be
using me."  She nodded in the cougar's direction.

Gideon took her hand in his, loving the softness of her skin. He
kissed her knuckles as he inhaled her essence. "Vincent isn't using you,
princess—"

"Don't," warned Vincent.

He loved his friend like a brother.  For years he'd been a
faithful employee and confident. Although Vincent preferred to keep his
disability a secret, in this case, he needed to come clean.  If there was any
chance that he was also Freya's mate, Gideon wouldn't steal that opportunity
from him.  Messing with fate would be a foolish move for any shifter.  If
Gideon didn't share Freya with Vincent, there'd be another at some point.  All
females of royal blood were destined to mate multiple shifters to ensure
maximum new blood into the races. If he had to choose, he'd pick the best man
he knew.

"Vincent can't scent. He's no different than a human in that
regard."

She narrowed her eyes and looked to the other man. "Is that
true?"

Vincent raked a hand though his hair and knelt in front of her.
"I'll understand if you don't want me.  You deserve a full male, not a
damaged one like me."

Her chuckle was unexpected, but sweet as nectar, dissipating the
tension. "You're exactly what I need.  A male guaranteed not to be using me
for my blood."

Gideon felt for his friend.  A shifter's senses were a vital part
of their life.  They helped recognize danger, lust in a woman, fear in the
enemy, and most importantly—led you to your mate.  Since Vincent's other
abilities were heightened due to his disability, Gideon never questioned him
when he claimed Freya was his. The challenge would be learning to share one
woman—that's
if
she accepted Gideon at all.

****

If she ever believed in fairy tales, her new reality just took
the prize. How could she say 'no' when two of the hottest, most stubbornly
irresistible shifters claimed she was theirs?  They didn't even fight for the
right to her hand.  Gideon, the hot-headed lion, even vouched for the cougar. 
Knowing the bartender had such a devastating disability only endeared him to
her.  This all began to feel right.  Maybe she'd get the same happily ever
after rewarded to her sister, Carna.  Although she'd never been with more than
one man at a time, she knew it was inevitable. What would it feel like to have
two virile, alpha males claim her body?

"No more running, Freya."  The lion smelled all male,
the muscles in his shoulders bunching as he leaned towards her.  She wanted him
to lose the bravado, become so aroused that he begged her to allow him to fuck
her.  But she wasn't sure she had that much will power, not after Vincent left
her throbbing for more only minutes ago.

"Okay."
  She barely squeaked out the word, ready
to submit to these two shifters, knowing it was a life-long decision.  Gideon
gently tugged the edge of the blanket and let it slip off her body to the
floor. Her breathing increased as their hungry gazes drank their fill of her
curves.

Vincent joined them at the bed, his buckle still loose. She
licked her lips as she imagined them both naked, both giving her their
undivided attention.  Gideon tugged off his shirt and she had to bite her
tongue not to gasp. He was muscle upon muscle of smooth, tanned flesh.  There
were similar tattooed bands around his arms as Vincent, a testament to his rich
lion heritage. She both anticipated and feared what lay beneath their blue
jeans.  As she began to have her doubts about taking two men at once, Gideon
lowered her to her back. 

"Just relax, Freya.  Let us take care of you."