Raine woke up some unknown time later with a huge smile on her face. Wow, did those two guys know how to make a girl come hard. Some of the details were sort of a blur, but she was still feeling the tingly heat down below, like an afterglow. Mmmmm.

Still groggy, she stretched like a lazy cat basking in the sun. Slowly, she worked out the kinks in muscles that hadn't seen that kind of workout in years. She was sore here and there, but it was a good kind of soreness. A tenderness or sensitivity that made her squirm a little. Especially when her thoughts drifted back to Tryphon and Bale.

Finally sitting up, she glanced around the room. She was alone, a sad state of affairs. She was also hungry. No, make that ravenous. Wondering how long she'd slept, and trying to recall how she'd even gotten upstairs to bed, she glanced at the clock.

Gosh, how could that be right? It was four o'clock in the afternoon? She'd slept how many hours? It was no wonder her stomach was threatening to digest itself.

Food. But first, she'd take care of a couple of other matters.

Nude, she padded barefoot into the bathroom, took a scalding hot shower to loosen up the knots in her muscles, brushed her teeth, fixed her hair and put on a little makeup. It was wonderful having her things here. Finally, she pulled on some fresh, comfy clothes. Once she felt human again, she headed down the hall to see what kind of breakfast-slash-lunch she could cook up for herself. She didn't get very far, not even to the stairs.

Ohhh. And wow.

The door was open, so that meant they didn't care if she saw them. Right?

Mmmm. Oooh.

Oddly, she'd known for a while that Tryphon and Bale were gay lovers, and they'd kissed in front of her, but she still hadn't been able to visualize them together like this. That wouldn't be a problem any longer.

At the moment, they were both nude and kneeling on the bed, their bodies crushed together, eyes closed, mouths joined.

Hands caressed hard male flesh, thick arms, powerful chests, and sculpted abs. Tongues speared into the sweet depths of each others' mouths, while the sensual sounds of their kisses filled the room.

It was an intimate moment, sweet and tender in one way, but also darkly erotic in another. She felt as if she had been given a glimpse of the forbidden. A precious gift. A hauntingly sensual one too.

If that was their intention, to share this moment with her in this way, then she was more than willing to accept their gift. She never would have expected this, but their intimacy fascinated her. Deeply. She crept softly into the room and eased into a cozy chair tucked in a dark corner.

Tryphon's body ignited with raw s.e.xual hunger the second he saw Raine tiptoe into the room. What had been a mild simmering in his veins amplified to a raging inferno. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing grew shallow and fast. His body tightened.

Oh yes, watch us.

He plunged his tongue into Bale's mouth, stabbing, caressing, tasting and taking. And in return, Bale growled and pinched his nipple so hard a razor-sharp blade of pain sawed through his insides.

Pain. Pleasure. They were so intertwined in his body his nerves were unable to discern the difference anymore. It all felt good. Wonderful.

He needed more.

s.e.x with Bale had always been like this. Hot. Hard. Quick. That was just fine most of the time. But now, with Raine here, watching, he wanted to go slower, draw out Bale's pleasure until he trembled and begged.

He knew what it would do to Raine.

She didn't know it yet, but he'd made a decision. One that would impact all three of them. It was just a matter of time before everything would go his way. At least, that's what he hoped. And then, they'd all have what they wanted, needed.

Tryphon caught Raine's hungry expression in his peripheral vision as he swept his tongue into Bale's mouth.

It wouldn't be long at all.

Whatever had gotten into Tryphon, Bale was ready to throw his hands toward heaven and sing the Halleluiah Chorus. Not that their s.e.x life had ever been routine or dull. It hadn't. But if he could be honest with himself, he'd have to admit that lately something had changed between them. The heat they'd once shared had definitely diminished. He'd noticed but not done anything about it.

For one simple reason-sadly, it hadn't been all that obvious how much the pa.s.sion had faded until right now. He'd been blind, ignorant, content.

Bale kissed Tryphon back with all the love and pa.s.sion he felt. His tongue slid along Tryphon's, stroking, caressing. His hands kneaded tight muscle, teased smooth skin, taunted a pebbled nipple.

Just as Bale was about to burn up, Tryphon pulled them back from a fever pitch, his kisses growing tender again, his touches less demanding and more seductive.

Tryphon wanted to go slow. Bale was all about slow.

He let Tryphon take the lead, knowing the power between them would s.h.i.+ft back and forth several times as they f.u.c.ked. For now, he was content to submit to Tryphon's wishes, to surrender to Tryphon's needs. Later, it would be his time.

Letting Tryphon force him onto his back, he pulled Tryphon down on top of him. Tryphon caught his hand and dragged their joined hands up toward the head of the bed. Their fingers twined as Tryphon's hips settled on top of Bale's. Tryphon's weight pinned his body to the mattress. Tryphon grazed his neck with his teeth.

It was f.u.c.king s.e.xy being like this, at Tryphon's mercy.

"d.a.m.n," Bale murmured, the expletive slipping off his tongue smoothly, like syrup.

If it could be this way from now on-Tryphon hungry for him, on the verge of losing control-he'd give up just about anything. Odd, how he hadn't realized how empty their f.u.c.king had become until this minute.

This magical minute.

"I've been burning for you," Tryphon whispered into his ear. "I didn't know how to tell you, what words to say."

"No words." Bale let his head fall to the side as Tryphon's tongue danced down the side of his neck. His skin p.r.i.c.kled as goose b.u.mps erupted over his chest, shoulders and stomach. The corners of his mouth pulled into a shadow of a smile.

"But you deserve to know."

"I do know. You're showing me." Bale dragged his hooked fingers down Tryphon's sides, his bluntly trimmed fingernails gently grazing Tryphon's skin. He heard Tryphon's breath catch, and his smile broadened.

This was what he'd longed for. The kind of intimacy that didn't need words. That transcended them.

Tryphon s.h.i.+fted lower, his tongue and teeth exploring Bale's collarbone, chest, nipples. Tryphon nipped sharply at one pebbled peak and Bale's spine tightened, his back arching toward his lover's mouth. His fingertips pressed deeper into Tryphon's hard flesh.

His s.c.r.o.t.u.m pulled his b.a.l.l.s tight against his groin. His c.o.c.k twitched, a droplet of prec.u.m seeping from its tip.

This was just like it had been in the beginning, so many years ago. When their pa.s.sion had been fresh and new, and they couldn't stop f.u.c.king. Their hunger for each other had been insatiable.

Why now? What had changed?

It couldn't be the Hunger. This wasn't the first time they'd been bonded together. And yet, this time was different. In a good way.

"I love you," Bale said, arching his back when Tryphon bit his nipple again.

"I love you too," Tryphon echoed, his voice rough with carnal need. After another evil nip, Tryphon descended lower down Bale's body, licking and kissing a tingly path to his engorged c.o.c.k.

A low moan slipped from Bale's lips when Tryphon ran his tongue up the underside of his shaft, from the base to the flared rim circling the head.

As Tryphon pulled Bale's c.o.c.k into his mouth, Bale sent up a silent thanks to whatever being-human, divine or otherwise-who had been responsible for the fresh and thrilling pa.s.sion blooming between them. And as Tryphon sucked and stroked Bale into oblivion, tears of joy slipped from the corners of Bale's eyes.

His o.r.g.a.s.m was like a nuclear explosion. Violent, but in a beautiful way. Heat blasted through his tight body, as a rainbow of colors burst behind his closed eyelids. Tryphon held him tight in his arms as he trembled and quaked and spasmed.

When he finally felt his strength returning, he opened his eyes.

Tryphon was glancing over his shoulder, staring toward the front of the room.

Raine.

A million questions charged through his head, but one echoed loudest, like the heavy beat of the ba.s.s that carries through a crowded bar.

Was she the reason for this change? If so, what did that mean?

"I need to f.u.c.k you now," Tryphon whispered into Bale's ear. "I hurt. Please."

Bale wanted to talk to Tryphon about Raine, about them, about everything. But he couldn't bring himself to do that now while the desperation of Tryphon's need was so evident in his eyes. Exchanging a look with a pink-faced Raine, Bale positioned himself on all fours, so she could watch them in profile. He witnessed the color staining her cheeks darken, and her eyes widen, as Tryphon settled behind him, spread his a.s.s cheeks and drove deep into his a.n.u.s.

d.a.m.n, that felt good.

He took Tryphon deep, relis.h.i.+ng the sensation of Tryphon's rod pistoning in and out of his a.s.s. Bale had never been much of an exhibitionist. s.e.x was one of those things the Sons of Twilight would do anywhere, at least most of them. But not him. He preferred things like this private. Especially when it was just the two of them.

Despite having shared the blood bond hundreds of times in the past, they had never f.u.c.ked each other in front of their human mate.

Whether it was just the rush of this being the first time, or it was something about her, he didn't know. But his b.a.l.l.s were tightening. His c.o.c.k was hardening. And his blood was simmering within minutes.

The relief Tryphon had given him was all but a faded memory now. Fierce carnal hunger gripped him harder with each thrust of Tryphon's c.o.c.k, each second his gaze remained locked to Raine's.

Bale bent over so his a.s.s was high in the air. He wrapped his fingers around his own c.o.c.k and stroked, matching Tryphon's pace.

Pressure building.

Heat churning.

A storm gathering deep within.

Tryphon's fingers dug into the flesh of his a.s.s cheeks, adding yet another erotic sensation to all the other scents and sounds and feelings blasting through his body.

He tightened, everywhere. His arm movements became jerky, almost uncontrolled. Behind him, Tryphon seemed to be suffering too. His lover growled and grunted, cursed and pleaded. Until finally, ohhhhh, it was there.

"Yesssssss," Bale whispered. Pleasure rolled over him like a hot wave, rus.h.i.+ng through every cell in his body. Tryphon cried out, slammed deep into Bale's hungry a.n.u.s. The ring of muscles milked every drop of c.u.m from Tryphon's c.o.c.k, as exquisite, throbbing ecstasy pulsed through his body.

Now, that was an o.r.g.a.s.m. He felt it in his f.u.c.king teeth. His scalp, the soles of his feet.

And now that they were both sated, it was time to talk. To get the answers to his questions.

If Tryphon knew the answers.

Raine didn't know what to do now. She sat in the chair, her body throbbing from head to toe. Her mind churning.

She'd never watched two men have s.e.x before, had never thought to. And she'd certainly never imagined it would make her feel this way.

There wasn't a part of her body that wasn't shaking. And that trembling was the good kind, not the bad, like when she was furious or terrified.

What did they expect now?

Tryphon had pulled out of Bale's a.n.u.s, and they were holding each other tenderly. His eyes were closed, but once in a while, he'd open them and glance her way. Bale had peeked at her, too, but neither of them had spoken yet. Not to her. Not to each other.

She didn't want to be the one to break the silence. It was beautiful and sedate, like a still pond at twilight. Not to mention, even though she kind of felt like she was a part of this intense moment, in another way, she felt like an outsider too.

Should she leave?

She s.h.i.+fted nervously in the chair, unable to stop herself. The softest brush of material against material filled the room. It was a sound no one would have heard normally, but in this moment it was as loud and grating as fingernails dragged down a chalkboard.

Instantly, she stilled.

Both guys looked at her.

Her heart fluttered against her breastbone.

And then they smiled, and she ran to them, welcoming their warm embraces.

As she closed her eyes and absorbed the heat of their bodies, a terrifying thought crossed her mind. There was absolutely no way this would ever be just casual s.e.x between them. Not for her. Not after this.

Even though they'd done very little the past couple days but f.u.c.k, she felt something, a lot of something, for both of these guys. She didn't want to, had told herself she wouldn't, had vowed she'd never let herself get emotionally involved with a man, but...

Argh!

Ironically, she never got involved. s.e.x was just s.e.x. She'd always been able to keep the two separate, until now.

Tryphon. Bale. All they wanted from her was a week of fun. Needed. s.e.x. Fun. And a little bit of small talk. For seven days.

It was all going to end soon, this thing they'd started for some reason she had yet to understand. And then she'd go home. Settle into her new job, and return to her normal life.

With a heart that felt as if it had been put through a meat grinder.

How had this happened?

Chapter Eleven.