Mold Me [Dungeon Masters 4] (Siren Publishing Menage Everlasting) (13 page)

Well, it seemed she might have adopted two without even knowing it.

They didn’t look scary. They were big, really big for dogs, but they didn’t seem to be vicious. Her head told her they’d never hurt her, so she waved at them to come closer. Lachlan stood at her knee. She turned sideways in her chair and gripped his head, looking into intelligent black eyes. She rubbed his ears and stroked along his spine. “Your fur is really soft. I wasn’t expecting that.”

He paced to one side of the room and Callum stood beside her now. His coat was only half a shade lighter than Lachlan’s, but his eyes were definitely brown, not black. He rubbed his head affectionately on her knee and she petted him.

“So I’m guessing you’re born human. When do you first shift? As babies or doesn’t it happen until puberty? Are girls the same as boys? Do you actually kill animals and eat them raw? Do you need to change often or can you go for months without transforming?”

Lachlan and Callum both shifted back into human form. “Do you ever ask just one question and let a person answer it before you ask the next one, little witch?” asked Callum, reaching for his underwear and pulling it on.

“What for? You might as well tell me everything at once.”

“To shift a wolf has to be able to visualize his animal, so it’s rare for a very small child to shift. Not until kindergarten age usually. Some people need to change more often than others. We have a friend who really needs to go for a run every day but neither Callum nor I are like that,” said Lachlan.

“We eat plenty of food as humans. Although if we ever were starving we could kill and eat something to survive. To answer one of your other questions, for some generations now, far more male shape-shifters have been born than female. That’s why many wolves are mating in ménages and sharing their woman with their best friend, or brother.”

“That’s right. You have a brother, but Lachlan has both a brother and a sister. His mom managed to have a girl.”

“That’s the secret. My mom remarried, and her second husband is human. When wolves marry humans, they often have half girls and half boys and that’s what she had. I have a stepbrother and a stepsister.”

“How does that work?”

“No one knows. There’s currently a genealogical research project going on to try to solve that problem and work out how wolves have survived in the past and how to continue surviving for the future,” said Callum.

“Now, what about you? How do you feel about us now that you know we’re werewolf shape-shifters?” asked Lachlan.

That was a damn good question. How did she feel? She didn’t hate them. She didn’t consider they’d lied to her or misled her. They’d really told her their secret as soon as they reasonably could. But where did it leave them now? What would happen next?

Both men were staring at Phoenix as if they were waiting for her to pass judgment on them. She supposed that in a way she was. “I would never expose your secret and cause you to be ridiculed or persecuted. I’m honored that you trust me enough to tell me the truth.”

That was a given. They’d put their lives in her hands, at least to some extent, and she would never take advantage of them. But as to what came next, she had no idea. “I guess I need a bit of time to assimilate the news. If we hadn’t already walked around your property we could do that now. Do you mind if I walk some more?”

“Of course you can go walking. Would you like to see the wolf running track we made? We actually walked on it for a bit of the way before, but we could walk right around it now if you like,” suggested Lachlan.

Phoenix smiled. “I have a better idea. I need to think, but I know you’ll want to come with me. Why don’t you escort me as wolves along this running track and that’ll help me acclimatize to your werewolf side and still let me think and walk.”

She should have thought about that before they’d just gotten dressed, she supposed, but instead of stripping off again, Callum led her out the back door of the farmhouse and over to the barn. Phoenix stood there looking around, but it was just a barn.

When they got undressed and put their clothing in a drawer under a workbench, she understood.
They must always leave the house dressed and change into their wolves here.
Well, that worked for her. It was a hell of a shock learning that the two men she was already thinking of as “hers” were actually wolves.

Wait a minute. Wolves came in packs didn’t they? So where was Lachlan and Callum’s pack? Holy fuck. The Dom’s Dungeon. “The Dom’s Dungeon. Is that your pack? Are the men there wolves as well? Ryia. Her two men. Are they wolves?”

Lachlan answered her. “We can’t tell another person’s secrets but there are wolves at The Dom’s Dungeon. It’s not a pack, though. There are many humans there as well.”

A dozen more questions were on the tip of her tongue, but instead of asking them Phoenix thought it’d be better to make up her mind about whether or not she was prepared to continue her romance with Callum and Lachlan. The men transformed again, and she followed the two wolves through the grass and onto a very narrow track that was almost invisible as they crossed a field. It became just wide enough for her to walk on, and she understood the track had been worn by the racing paws of her wolves. It wound in among trees, through a shrubbery, across grass, and around their land. She noticed that never once did she have to open a gate or climb a fence, so evidently it’d been designed to avoid the fields where the cattle lived. That suited her. Opening and closing four gates every time she left the farm would drive her crazy really fast.

I’m focusing on details instead of the big picture.

But that wasn’t quite right. The big picture was made up of millions of details, and it was the details that would form her life.

She clambered over a dead tree across the track, watching enviously as both wolves leapt over it easily.
I suppose it’s there on purpose to make their run a bit more interesting. Wait. I’m getting off the things I should be thinking about again.

Conscientiously, Phoenix thought about life with two wolves. But it wouldn’t be life with two wolves. It wasn’t as if she’d have to bath them, and brush their fur, and take them for walks. They were people. Adults who’d look after themselves. Men who were more than capable of making all their own decisions and looking after her as well.

And that was the whole point really. Lachlan was the Dom who could give her exquisite pleasure. Well, with the more than capable help of Callum. However, it wasn’t just amazing sex. The men appealed to her on a spiritual level, and a mental level as well as the physical one. She’d enjoyed talking to them, trying to solve problems with them. Besides, Callum could cook. Between Lachlan designing BDSM scenes for her and Callum cooking, how could she say no?

Phoenix laughed. Just ahead of them was the hill they’d walked up before. “Race you to the top of the hill,” she called out, sprinting ahead of them.

* * * *

Lachlan sensed the peace about Phoenix and knew she’d come to a decision. Instinctively he knew she’d stay with them. She’d relaxed and accepted them. The gamble had paid off and she was already coming to terms with the fact they were shape-shifters. He knew it might take her a while to fully accept their differences, and it might put occasional hiccups in their relationship for years to come. But the major decision had been taken. She was staying with them, not leaving them.

The next big question was would she play in the dungeon with them this afternoon? He was a little hesitant to ask her, but to him, they needed to continue the day as it’d been planned. They needed to act as if there hadn’t been a huge change, because, really, there was no change. He and Callum hadn’t changed. They were the same people they had always been. The only difference was that now Phoenix knew about them.

He waited until they’d returned home and had all finished eating Callum’s homemade tomato soup and home-baked bread.

“I changed our booking in the dungeon to this afternoon. Would you like to come and play?” he asked her. He couldn’t look away from her face. He knew so much rested on her decision. He thought she trusted them but her answer now would prove or disprove his thoughts.

When she smiled, his tense shoulders relaxed. He hadn’t even realized he’d tightened up from the stress of worrying about her reply.

“Yes, I’d like that. I was disappointed when I had to cancel out on our date last night.”

She hurried out of the room and reappeared not very long after with her luggage. “I’ll follow you back to town. It’ll be easier than looking up the route for myself.”

“Leave your suitcase here. It’s only Saturday. We hoped you’d spend Sunday with us as well. We can all go in my car,” said Lachlan.

“Hell, yes. I’m never using that shoebox you call a bathroom ever again,” said Callum.

“It’s a perfectly fine—”

“No, it isn’t.”

“It really isn’t, Phoenix. Take my word for this. I agree with Callum. Only a midget would want to shower in there.”

He watched her lips turn up and her eyes sparkle. “But where else can you sit down and relax while you shower?” she teased them.

“Relax? When the hot water only lasts for a minute and a half? The shower here is much better and if you really want a seat we’ll install one for you,” said Callum.

Lachlan shepherded them all out the door and over to the barn. He drove and Callum opened the gates. This was what, the third? fourth time they’d been in and out today? Phoenix was right. Likely there would be an automated means of controlling the gates. He needed to look into that.

“Tell us about your job. What do you actually do, Phoenix?” Callum asked her.

“My parents were horrified when I took this job, but really it doesn’t matter whether the job is with an erotic romance publisher, or an accountant, or a dog groomer. The work is the same. Making sure accounts are sent on time, both to pay the bills and to get in the receipts. Supplies need to be ordered, staff rosters maintained, deadlines met. The only difference is likely that we have more contract workers who work from home, although with the huge trend to offshoring, likely that will be the same as anywhere else within a few years, too.”

“I hadn’t ever thought about it, but I suppose the authors work from home don’t they?” asked Callum.

“Very few authors write full-time. Most have another job even if it’s only part-time. But about half our editors also work from home and so do both our cover artists. The senior editors and formatters work from the office, and so do all the accounting and admin staff. It was really funny. We had a couple of readers arrive once and ask to see the authors writing. My boss told them the authors were all chained up in the basement until they finished the next chapter of their book. We were all trying hard not to laugh but my boss kept a completely straight face and the readers believed her.”

Lachlan laughed. “I can just picture rows and rows of writers, sitting at desks like in an examination, all typing away madly, their manacles clanking as they work.”

“And every now and then one of them finishes a chapter and along comes the jailer with the key to let them out,” added Callum.

“But how long do they get to relax before they’re locked up to begin the next chapter?” Phoenix started giggling.

Lachlan grinned as he drove into town. They were all laughing and talking, so relaxed and happy around each other. He knew the wolf issues would be mentioned again from time to time. Likely he and Callum would have to do some adjusting as well as Phoenix. But it seemed that for now they were all okay, moving along, ready to continue to grow and develop together. Lachlan had all sorts of plans for today and the future. Plans with the three of them as permanent partners, and with Phoenix living with them instead of in her tiny apartment.

Realistically they’d all have to make changes for their triad to work, but he was happy about that.

Now his job was to arouse her with a scene that demonstrated to her as clearly as possible that she was loved and cherished. That all she needed to do was permit him to take charge of her life in the bedroom and the dungeon and she would be ensured endless orgasms, total peace, rest, and relaxation beyond her imaginings.

He was wearing ordinary clothing, not his Dom outfit, but he hadn’t bothered to get changed again. Phoenix knew him now and although he would definitely wear it sometimes to enhance a scene, he didn’t need to set the stage today. This was going to be all about letting her experience how much he’d discovered regarding her likes and needs already, while simultaneously learning more about her.

He unlocked the door of Dungeon Five and flipped the lights on, but before he let Phoenix enter he said sternly, “The scene begins now. No more talking. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Her words might be right out of a BDSM textbook but her sparkling eyes and the slight questioning tone in her voice said something completely different. Well he had a plan for that, too.

“Undress, sub.”

She slid out of her clothing so fast he knew she was aching for this scene as much as he was. His dick was already hard. It seemed an eternity since they’d played their previous dungeon scene. So much had happened since then. Still, he couldn’t rush this. It was as important to go slowly and build her tension up higher and higher as if they’d been in the dungeon last night. Every scene was individual and fresh. Every time was important. The sub was always the key person in the dungeon. Everything was about bringing her pleasure, and release.