Twisted Time (4 page)

Sasha looked around the corner,
where the hell were they
? They had been dogging her every footstep since they recognized her as their mate. Right when she saw them in the meeting weeks ago, she knew—her mates had arrived. The pull to them was strong. When her head had been down, she'd watched them through her lashes and she saw the longing, the want, and the lust shining in their eyes. And she her body wanted to answer, but her mind, no so much. She had a lot she needed to do in her life, so…

She refused to acknowledge the pull—she avoided, hid, and basically—refused to be alone with them. She knew it was childish, but damn it, she didn’t want mates. She had too many things to do before she settled down. Besides, she was nowhere close to being ready to be tied down to the two overbearing men who were trying to claim her.

Besides the fact, her mates were from two different Stratums,
what the fuck was that about
?
Could she pick?
Zade was Crispin’s Beta, and a tiger shifter, and Killian was the King of the
Fae Stratum
.
Just not cool
. And the King sending his lackey Second to follow her every footsteps was getting rather old. Soon, she was not even going to be able to hide the men’s interest from her mother. The one person she avoided telling the pull about, because then it would be blah, blah, blah—dress—blah, blah, blah—shoes—blah, blah, blah—flowers—blah, blah, blah—ceremony. Nothing Sasha was remotely interested in even planning.

Sasha was the Head of the Transport Division of the Stratum. Her magic was powerful, making portals to the other Stratums. For the populace they used coins for travel. She could allow anyone to travel from Stratum to Stratum, to sell their goods, or find a fast fuck,
whatever
. The joys of being the gatekeeper were to listen to the shit reasons their people needed to travel. Sasha had then color coded each Stratum's coin and knew who and where every single coin was these days. Her brother, the King of the
Wizard
Stratum
, Blake, announced to the members of the Stratum weeks ago, that due to Dion and his followers, Sasha was taking the coins back and casting a spell to close all portals. They had to request permission if someone needed to come back that was gone. It had been a mess, leaving Sasha working late nights, making sure no one was screwing with her.

She didn’t care; it was her job, and her magic’s specialty. The ability to open portals could be tricky. Some people who tried to dabble in opening portals could end up in two separate Stratums if they didn’t know precisely what they were doing. That was the best thing about the coins she developed. Each of them opened a portal to another Stratum and allowed it to be open for a short period of time. Then the magic was gone until she applied it again to the coin. Sasha shut down the coins with a dampening spell. It took a strong Witch with the strength, which she had, control, which she had, and the time, which she didn’t. They could not allow Dion to gain any more followers.

Since that little rat bastard Dion declared war on their family and the other Royals, they had to make sure they were careful who was going where. Dion was dangerous and they were just waiting for him to strike again. The last time had almost cost her brother, Blake, and his Second, Chase. Sasha loved the dumbass and so therefore, when he was taken, she worked tirelessly trying to find him.

“There you are,
Matakia
,” Zade said smoothly as he snuck up on her.
Damn it
, Crispin’s Second had found her. He was a pain in her ass, a tiger shifter who would not leave her alone.

“My name is Sasha. I told you that, now take that back. I told you to call me Ms. Thoma, or ma’am,” she said hotly and continued to walk to her office.
Fuck
, she paused when she saw the Fae King leaning against the door smiling at both of them. Killian waited until she shook her head and made the decision they were going to have to have a talk.

“Killian, where is your slimy side kick, he is usually right with you.” Sasha snorted and waved her hand in a circle and heard the door to her office click and open. She had powers that could lock, unlock, call a portal, you name it—she could do it.

Sasha's first thought was that Killian’s Second was her other mate, because she saw them all in one room together, it had been overwhelming, and thank the Gods she had been wrong. Bortant, whom she called Boring Bortant to piss him off, was like a leech.

“Bortant has been assigned somewhere else,” Killian said smoothly and she raised an eyebrow at him.

“Why,” Sasha asked.

“Because,
Matakia
,
when a Fae finds his mate they become his Second,” Zade said smoothly. “So you are looking at his Second.”

Sasha smiled, “Congratulations, I am so glad you have found each other—that is amazing.”

Killian stepped forward and ran a hand down her arm. “However, the Gods have blessed me with two mates as you well know.”

“Really?” Sasha said and brushed past him into her office, she had a ward set so no one could enter unless she allowed them, which included even her family. She needed to get away from these two. Their relentless pursuit of her over the last couple of weeks was weakening her resolve. She stayed busy in the day, but Gods, the nights were hell. She physically burned up inside for them. Killian made a noise of frustration when he was blocked from coming in. “Who is he?”

“You damn well know it is not a he—it is you, sweetheart, who is the final piece to this equation. Stop playing these games and let's talk about this,” Killian demanded in his royal voice.

Sasha rolled her eyes and then smiled at him innocently.

“No, I don’t know that, maybe your wires are crossed.” She laughed, then Zade moved from behind Killian and she could see them both,
damn they were hot
. Killian had long blonde hair that was kept braided down his back, she longed to run her fingers through it, but of course, she would never allow herself the luxury. He was a pretty boy, with a smooth thin face, and full lips that were made for kissing. He was tall and lanky, just what you would think a Fae looked like, and Zade was the exact opposite. Although many would not call him handsome, she did in her head. He was rugged, with short black hair cut in the human’s military style. His face was hard and chiseled with a scar across his cheek from the battle they had just waged against Dion and his assholes. He was built like a brick shit house, muscles bulging. She knew wrapped in his arms nothing would hurt her. She felt the moisture pool in her panties from the thought. And when she heard the loud intake of air, looked directly at Zade, and saw the smirk on his face.
Oh yeah, she had been busted. Damn shifter senses.

She had to stop thinking like that. Because although she was a Witch, she was not the typical female. She refused to wear dresses, and instead wore black cargo pants, with her pockets stuffed full of weapons—well hidden. And her fashion sense was shown by the different colored tank tops she chose to wear. Sasha was not a shrinking flower, who could be in his family. Although she was smart like her siblings, she also was taught by them to defend herself.

She was five foot nine inches tall with a willowy build and she worked out to keep herself prepared. Her long, straight, dark brown hair hung down the middle of her back in her usual ponytail, and her porcelain skin was flawless. She was gorgeous, or that was what so many men told her; a small pert nose, and full lips, she could pass for one of the Fae if she wanted to. She was not as delicate as her features made her appear though—defense training and accurate marksmanship were only part of her skills. Dion and his bastards had tried to kidnap her siblings, then her, and she would be damned if she allowed any of it. Sasha was preparing to kick some ass if she needed to.

“Sorry, do you need a portal opened to the
Fae Stratum
? ‘Cause as we talked about, as of the meeting, all portals are sealed until further notice,” Sasha said, then lifted her hand and slammed the door in their faces.

She almost felt bad—
almost
. However, she had more things to worry about. Tracking down some of the mysterious portal coins was her top priority. This morning her brother, Blake, the King of the Stratum, informed her of the possibility that some of her magic had been stolen. She had no clue how this could have happened.

Opening the small locked drawer where she kept the main coins that led to each of the Stratums, she assured herself they were still there. Sasha had figured this out a long time ago, before she had even been appointed the Head of the Transport Division. Her parents tested each of their children to see where their power was focused. Blake was King, because he was the oldest, as well as the strongest in every area. Logan was Security, because he was master of defensive spells. Then there was Sasha, since she was a small child she had known how to teleport herself from one place to another.

It drove her mother nuts. Bria and Ryker Thoma were the retired King and Queen of the Stratum. Unlike the humans, their Stratum allowed their lives to be elongated, sometimes up to a thousand years. Most of the other Stratums were the same, scientists discovered the gravity in the
Human Stratum
was part of the cause; the other was the inability for humans to have magic in their bodies.
Sad but true
.

When she was appointed to the head of her division, Sasha used her powers to create the coins. She had one for every Stratum, and then she used the magic she poured into the coins to make shorter lasting ones for people to travel for shorter periods. It was a general rule; the coins could only be used for one person and for no longer than two days unless she approved it.

She pulled up her computer where the list of people who once held coins were, none of them seemed out of place, and had confirmed they no longer had the coins. How the hell was Dion using one, if it was not here? Something was not adding up.

Sasha heard the knock at her door and paused,
damn men
probably were
still trying to get in to talk to her. She was not in the mood for this shit
.

Stalking to the door she pulled it open with more force than necessary, “What?” she barked and then looked sheepish when she saw it was her brothers.

Blake laughed and said, “They still bugging you?”

Sasha glared at him and allowed the ward to fall so they could come in. Logan and Blake situated themselves in the chairs opposite her desk before she answered.

“I have no idea who you are talking about,” she said with a breezy tone and then sat at her desk ready to talk to them about the portals.

Logan laughed, “Little sis, I swear you need to get a grip. You know they are fighting the mating heat. You are, too. Just put yourself out of your misery and accept them.”

Sasha flipped him off and continued with what she was talking about, “The coins are all accounted for, and I have not been able to detect if any of the ones I have issued to the dignitaries have been used.”

“Avoidance, hmmm,” Blake teased and then laughed harder when Sasha reached over to try to hit him.

“Sash, you know when you find your mate it is hard, but Zade is a shifter, he is having a hard time right now,” Logan said. “Crispin and Chase are worried.”

She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t want mates.”

“Why?” Blake said confused.

“Just because, I am not talking to my brothers about this,” Sasha said.

“Fine, I will call ma,” Logan said and pulled out his communicator, Sasha stood and grabbed for the small device. That was all she needed was a conversation with her mother about the birds and the bees again. She'd wondered when her brothers had found out about her two stalker mates but never cared enough to ask. She was just glad they hadn't shared their information with her mother. Well, so far, they had kept silent around her mother, which had taken her threatening them to an inch of their lives if they told before she was ready. The benefits to being the younger sister growing up—they'd given her plenty of ammo to use against them, in trying times.

“I will deal with it, now back off. First, we are going to have to figure this shit out. Someone is letting Dion gather more people. We are going to have a hard time if we can't get it under control,” Sasha said, keeping the conversation on business. Her brothers shrugged and then they got down to business.

“What do we have to do in order to make her acknowledge our claim?” Zade growled and stalked back to the rooms where his mate, the Fae King, was assigned.

It had been fast, the moment he met both of his mates he knew they were destined to be his. “She is going to be resistant,” the Fae King said slowly, it was a new experience for him.

Killian ruled his Kingdom with a firm yet fair hand. All of his people respected him and he was certain that if need be, he could call on them to help wage the war with Dion and his band of Rogues. His mate was determined to defeat this asshole, but there was no way in hell he would allow her to go up against him, even with her strong family. It was his job.

“She can resist all she wants, we are mates, she will accept it when the time comes,” Zade said gruffly. His cat was pushing him hard. When shifters found their mate, it was instinct to claim them. He thought about his Alpha King and friend, Crispin, he had almost gone mad when his mate was captured and held captive for more than a month. His Alpha had been crazed.

Zade thought he was holding it together for the most part. Even though he discovered his mates a little more than a month ago, he also had the opportunity to be near them. Knowing they were safe, and although his cat was getting pissed, it went a long way for keeping his shifter side in check.

“And we have to wait how long?” Killian asked and looked at Zade curiously. They had this talk at least once a day. They were a true Tri-Mate, the men were to be bonded as well as each of them with Sasha; it would make them extremely strong. Killian and his family had heard the foretelling of such a mating.
Hell, he even had dreamed of it
. The Tri-Mates would be what were needed in the
Fae Stratum
to regain the balance they had been missing.

Since their own revolution more than a hundred years ago where his parents were both killed, Killian claimed his rightful throne with the help of his favored Guards and since had begun the rebuilding. Some of the rebels remained and most would gladly try to kill him if they could.

However, joining forces with Blake and the other Stratums was proving to be not only beneficial to strengthen his throne, but he also found his mates. To Killian, there was nothing more precious and he would not let his little female mate turn her back on their mating.

“I think we should do what any males would in this situation,” Killian said smoothly.

Zade lowered his head, worried they were going to wait her out. His cat was not going to like this. “Okay, what is that?”

“We are going to go and talk to her mother.” Killian laughed.

“Oh shit, you are starting a war with our mate.” Zade clapped. “This is going to be so much fun.”

“She has left us no choice. Refusing us any longer is not reasonable,” Killian said, leading his mate down the hallway to the Wizards domain. He knew exactly where Sasha’s mother was going to be—in the medical lab.

As they approached the lab, Killian straightened his clothing. Shit, how could he be nervous about meeting with Bria, they had met a million times before, but this was the first time he was facing the older woman as her future son-in-law.

Zade put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Do I need to go first?”

“I got this,” Killian said and knocked on the door.