“I’ll consider it. What are you willing to pay for the privilege of using the Key?” Mandrex asked.
“What do you want?” Lucian asked levelly. “I can pull upwards of a million credits personally. My family can get more if I ask.”
“Ah, but asking would mean admitting to your fathers you’re bonded to another Alpha—a great shame in your culture,” Mandrex pointed out blandly.
“True,” Lucian said stoically. “But we’ll do anything that’s necessary to get the Key.”
Mandrex leaned forward, steepling his fingers under his handsomely cleft chin.
“Anything?”
“Well…yes.” Lucian looked at him uncertainly. “Why—what did you have in mind?”
“Something you might find rather…unusual,” Mandrex said.
“Unusual how?” Drace asked, scowling suspiciously.
Mandrex sighed and leaned back in his elegantly scrolled, high-backed chair.
“I am, as you know, attempting to adopt the Denarin culture as my own. I love the art and the music and the food—even the more unusual dishes.”
That was certainly an understatement, but I didn’t say anything about it out loud. I wondered what might be coming next—what in the world did Mandrex want from us in order to let us borrow the Key?
“I am, in fact, completely comfortable with all aspects of Denarin culture except one—the idea of two males sharing a female.”
Drace snorted and Lucian looked at Mandrex in apparent disbelief.
“Forgive me, Lord Mandrex, but that is the very essence of our culture. No matter what clan we come from the idea of sharing a female, of protecting her with a partner you can trust to back you up in any situation, is at the core of our very identity.”
“I know…I know…and I’m trying to embrace it.” Mandrex made a curt gesture with one hand. “It’s just foreign to me. Cantors are fiercely monogamous. The idea of sharing a female I care for—that I love, if I could ever find such a female—makes me tremble with rage.”
“I don’t know how we can help you then,” Drace remarked. “The idea of having a female to yourself with no other male to share her with seems as wrong to us as our sexual needs seem to you.”
“But I want to understand it—I want to embrace it.” Mandrex leaned forward again, eyes blazing like blue flames. “I want you to show me the beauty of it.”
“Show you how exactly?” Lucian asked, frowning.
Mandrex looked at him levelly. “I want a private exhibition. I want to see the things the three of you do firsthand—I want to see the beauty in it.”
“So…you’re asking us to put on a sex show for you?” I stared at him in disbelief. I had been mostly quiet during the discussion because I was still feeling slightly tipsy from all the fizzy Kool-Aid-champagne I’d been drinking throughout dinner. But now it seemed time to speak up.
“Essentially, yes,” Mandrex said mildly. “And in return I will loan you the Tanterine Key and keep the secret of your shameful Alpha-on-Alpha joining to myself.”
“This is blackmail!” Lucian exclaimed. “What we do together in the privacy of the sleep chamber isn’t for you to judge!”
“There will be no judging involved, I assure you—I only want to observe, not participate in any way.”
“I don’t get it,” Drace said roughly. “You’re fucking rich. Why ask us to perform for you? Why not hire some pleasure girl and a couple of pleasure boys to act it out for you?”
Mandrex raised one black eyebrow. “And have it bruited about that Lord Mandrex is a perverted foreigner who only came to Denaris because he has a fetish for watching three-way sex? No…” He shook his head firmly. “I value my reputation as much as you value yours, you know. Far better to ask the three of you, who have something to hide. This way, you will keep my secret and I will keep yours. Neither of us will betray the others because the stakes are too high. Besides…” He cocked his head to one side. “If I hired sex workers to act out the scene that is all I would get—acting. I want to see a Triumvirate with genuine affection between them.”
“You’d best look elsewhere then,” Lucian said bitterly. “Drace and I have no affection between us—why do you think we’re working so hard to be free of each other?”
“He’s right—we fuckin’ hate each other,” Drace rumbled.
“No, you don’t!” I snapped, surprising myself. “Whether you admit it or not, the two of you care about each other. You saved each other’s lives.” I looked back and forth between them. “And it doesn’t matter what you had to do in order to do that—it still counts. And you still care.”
Neither Lucian or Drace answered me but Mandrex looked surprised and interested.
“A lovers’ quarrel, it would seem. Would you then, gentlemen, at least both admit that you care about the female you share between you?”
“Of course we care about Rylee,” Drace growled, moving closer to me. “We’d protect her with our lives.”
“She is our lady—we are sworn to keep her safe at all costs,” Lucian put an arm around me protectively.
“Fascinating.” Mandrex nodded. “Given the feelings you both have for your female, it should be most interesting to watch you share her.”
“Wait a minute!” I protested, some of my tipsiness wearing off. “We can’t…we’ve never…”
“Our bond is not sealed—we’re not a true Triumvirate, nor do we plan to become one,” Lucian said sharply. “So we have no intention of performing bonding sex with our female in front of you, just for your viewing pleasure.”
“You don’t have to perform bonding sex,” Mandrex said. “I just want to see the three of you together—to see your interaction.” He shook his head. “I still can’t understand how it’s possible for the two of you to share a female and not feel any jealousy when you watch your bond-mate take her.”
“Nobody’s taking anybody anywhere,” I said quickly. “At least…” I bit my lip. “Not until we talk about this some more.” I looked at Mandrex. “Can we have some privacy?”
“Certainly. In fact, allow me to lead you to another, more intimate setting to discuss my offer.”
He rose from the table and led the way out of the vast dining room, his feathers making whispering sounds as the tips of his wings dragged against the richly carpeted floor.
Without a word, the three of us followed him. I think we all wanted to talk—we were bursting with things to say. But none of us felt like we could really cut lose until we were in private. At least, I know that’s how I felt.
I can’t believe you’re even considering this, whispered a little voice in my head as we followed Mandrex down a long hallway that led off from the main corridor. What is wrong with you even thinking about agreeing to this?
It’s in my contract, I tried to tell myself. That I’ll do anything I can to help them get free of each other.
Of course, there was also a no-sex clause in the contract—one I’d put in myself. If we went through with this, we would be breaking that part all to Hell. I told myself, a little uneasily, that it was all right if I broke it, since it had been my idea in the first place.
But there was another reason besides the contract and the promises I’d made to stick with Lucian and Drace until the end that I was considering Mandrex’s proposal instead of rejecting it out of hand. I felt—felt strongly—that this was the only way to get the two of them back together. Which of course was silly—the whole idea was to break them apart. But I missed the way they’d been—their cooperation, the way they’d shared glances that communicated more than words could say. The way they worked together to pleasure and protect me and make me feel comfortable and cherished. I missed that and I wanted it back.
Even if the three of us were only together for another few days, I wanted them to be good days.
I can make that happen, I thought and felt a strange little tingle running through me. A power I hadn’t known I had was awakening…growing.
You’re a La-
ti-zal… It was a ghost of a whisper, meant only for me. Did it come from inside me…or somewhere else? I didn’t know and didn’t really care. You’re a Binder. You alone can restore harmony between your males.
Yes, I thought. I can bring them back together this way…I know it.
The question was, how far would we have to go in order to achieve my goal?
Chapter Twenty
Rylee
“I can’t believe we’re even fucking considering this,” Drace growled, once we were installed in a large, richly decorated bedroom with the door shut firmly behind us and Mandrex on the other side.
“Oh? And you have a better idea for getting the Key?” Lucian snapped. “By all means, please share it.”
“Stop it, you two,” I said, before Drace could growl back. “This is the only way to get the Key and we all know it.”
They both looked at me in surprise.
“And…you’re willing to do this?” Lucian asked. “Despite our contract?”
“I swore I’d stick by both of you until the bitter end,” I said grimly. “Until you’re separated. But right now, the two of you need to get a little closer together.”
“I’m not getting close to him,” Drace snarled.
“I feel the same,” Lucian said coldly.
“Well then it looks like the two of you are going to be stuck together forever. Because I’m not doing a damn thing to help you get that Key until the two of you make up and promise to play nice together.”
I went over to the bed—a vast, round mattress as big as a small stage—and sat on the edge, my arms crossed over my chest. My low cut gown pulled down at the gesture, pushing my breasts up in two swells.
I could feel both sets of eyes—the green and the blue—on my breasts and my body under the tight, sexy gown. I could almost hear them weighing their options. On one hand, they needed the Key. On the other, they were still super pissed off at each other.
But there was a third factor at play here. They wanted me—wanted to share me—badly. I sat up a little straighter, letting the red gown pull lower until the dark circles of my areolas were just visible above the low-cut neckline. My heart was racing but I tried to keep my face calm.
“Come on, guys,” I said, a little more gently. “Don’t let your wounded pride keep you from getting what you need. That’s foolish.”
Lucian melted first. Turning to Drace he spoke in a low voice.
“Forgive me for treating you as I would a Beta,” he said, looking the other man in the eye. “It wasn’t my intention to denigrate you—I only wanted to save your life as you had saved mine and there was no other way.”
For a moment Drace just stood there, scowling.
“Drace,” I prompted gently. “Come on—accept his apology. This anger is just eating you up inside, honey. Let go of it.”
“I…” Drace took a deep breath. “I forgive you,” he said at last, the words halting and choked. “I know you were only trying to save me.”
“I’ll never do it again—treat you like a Beta, I mean,” Lucian promised swiftly. “I…do not like to be at odds with you. I miss the harmony we found when Rylee joined us.”
“I miss it too,” Drace admitted in a rough voice. “A fucking lot.”
“Good—this is good!” I exclaimed, sitting up straighter. There was still some resistance between them—I could feel it. But I thought I knew how to get rid of it. “Now hug each other.”
“What?” Both of them looked at me in disbelief.
“Come on…” I got up and went to them. Putting a hand on each of their broad backs, I concentrated for the first time on using the mysterious power I felt tingling inside me. “Come together,” I told them in a low, commanding voice. “Drace, take Lucian in your arms.”
Slowly I could see some of their reluctance fading away. Drace reached for Lucian and wrapped his arms around the other man in a bear hug.
“Lucian,” I murmured. “Hug him back. Show Drace you care.”
I saw Lucian’s arms go up and then, hesitantly, he folded them around his bond-partner. After a moment, he squeezed, returning the other male’s affection.
“I’m sorry,” Lucian said hoarsely, a more heartfelt apology than before. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, bond-mate.”
“You saved my life,” Drace growled back. “I guess it doesn’t matter how you did it.”
“That’s good.” I felt a warm glow inside me, spreading outward like a tiny sun expanding and sharing its warmth. “So good. This is exactly what the two of you needed.”
“What all three of us needed,” Lucian amended. Without discussing it, he and Drace opened their arms, accepting me into the middle of their embrace.
“All three,” Drace echoed.
I put my arms around both of them and squeezed as tight as I could. I can’t even begin to explain the happiness that filled me at that moment. I felt a sense of rightness I couldn’t deny—didn’t want to deny. Was I willing to do this with my guys—to get sexual for the personal edification of Lord Mandrex? Well, if it meant more of this feeling then yes—yes, I was.
“So we’re going to do this?” Drace asked, breaking the silence first and putting my thoughts into words. “We’re really going to put on a show for Mandrex?”
“I think that has to be up to Rylee,” Lucian murmured, pulling away a little to look at me. “She’s the one who asked for the no sex clause in our contract in the first place.”
“I also promised to do anything I could to get the job done,” I said. “I’d say this falls under that promise, only…” I bit my lip. “I think we need to have some limits. Some boundaries.”
“Agreed,” Lucian murmured. “No sealing of our bond for one thing.”
“Definitely not,” I agreed. “That would defeat the purpose and…” I cleared my throat. “And it would be going, uh, too far.”
“How far should we go then?” Drace asked. “Are we allowed to touch you? Taste you?” There was a gleam in his eyes and I couldn’t help thinking of the way he hadn’t wanted to stop licking my pussy. The thought made me feel like I was blushing all over and yet, I also felt heat starting between my legs as I remembered his hot tongue lapping me there.
“Yes,” I whispered. “You…you can touch me and…and taste me.”
“I can’t wait.” Lucian was giving me that hungry look now too. “Can’t wait to slip my tongue deep in your sweet pussy and lap your juices, ma 'frela.”
“What about penetration?” Drace asked, looking at me. “Ejaculation?”
“Um…” I felt my heart begin to beat triple time in my chest. It was one thing to agree to let them do things they’d already done. But this…it might be going too far.
“Just say if you would rather we didn’t penetrate you, Rylee,” Lucian said softly. “We won’t be upset.”
I liked the way he was referring to himself and Drace as “we” again—liked it a lot.
“I’ll say maybe on penetration,” I said after a moment’s thought. “But no to, uh, ejaculation. I mean not…” I was feeling like my face was on fire now but I made myself finish. “Not in me anyway. That wouldn’t be, uh safe.”
“Just to remind you, you cannot get pregnant with us unless both of us were buried to the hilt in your pussy, coming at the same time inside you,” Lucian reminded me.
“Still…” I fidgeted, looking down at my hands. “I just…don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“She’s right,” Drace growled. “When you come in a female, it’s a sign of possession—of ownership. It’s going to be hard enough letting Rylee go when the two of us are separated without marking her by filling her pussy with our seed.”
“Agreed.” Lucian nodded again. “All right—then I think we have an idea of what we will and won’t do.”
“Very good,” a voice came from somewhere overhead, making us all jump—Mandrex’s voice. “Then if you’re ready to proceed, I am ready to watch.”
“What? You fucking bastard—have
you been listening to us all along?” Drace demanded, looking up at the ceiling.
“Of course. I wanted to see if you could reach a consensus. Since you have, I’ll come back and join you.”
There was a click, like a hidden microphone being switched off and then Mandrex came into the bedroom. He was wearing a black mask that covered the top part of his face, showing just his eyes. It was surprising how much anonymity that gave him. In fact, I found myself feeling much less self-conscious than I normally would have at the idea of someone watching me just because of that mask.
He sank down on a large, plush armchair opposite the round bed, which had a dark green spread on it, and crossed his legs. He had the air of a man settling down to watch an enjoyable entertainment.
“Now,” he said, when he was settled comfortably. “As I am the possessor of the Key which you three want, I will be directing this little scene. And please don’t worry,” he added when Drace and Lucian both started to protest. “I heard your terms to each other—I know what you are and are not willing to do.”
He smiled charmingly and I thought again how much like a dark angel he looked. The angel of temptation, urging us to do things we knew were wrong and yet wanted to do anyway.
At least I wanted to do them. Did that make me a bad person? I decided I didn’t want to think about that now—it wasn’t relevant. Right now all that mattered was getting the Key from Mandrex and this was the only way to do it.
“Hmm…” Mandrex hummed thoughtfully, looking at us from behind his black mask. “You know, despite my natural resistance to the Triumvirate relationship, I find I like the way the three of you look together. It is most…sensuous.”
“We’re glad you like what a pretty picture we make,” Drace growled sarcastically. “But what do you want us to do?”
“To start with? Simply kiss. I want to see each of you kiss Rylee in turn while the other male watches,” Mandrex directed.
Well, that was easy enough. I was still standing between them but I was more turned towards Lucian. I reached for him and he took me in his arms eagerly. My mouth found his and he gave me a sweet but urgent kiss, the tips of his fangs pressing lightly against my lips as he tasted my mouth.