Page 30 of Urn My Love

Her mind was filled with thoughts about Cucalas, her kingdom, her love for lumberjack-looking decor, her battle with Azurea, and her worries for the upcoming challenges. She feared nothing except failing those who counted on her.

Secretly, I’d loved her thoughts about me. And yeah, I was that vain. She spent a lot of time admiring both my human and pegasus forms. There had been an unforeseen downside to my ability to read her mind, though. When her mind turned to replaying our kisses and reliving what she’d felt when she’d been squished between August and me, my body couldn’t help but respond. I’d never spent so many hours rock hard.

By the time she confided what she was, I’d already known. She’d thought my shock when I’d found her in the woods had been from watching her die and rebirth, and while I had to admit that was one lit party trick, it hadn’t been the reason for my surprise.

That had come from the unfamiliar magic I’d picked up in the air. It was a magic I hadn’t sensed before, so I knew it was hers or August’s. I’d tasted it in the air more than once on this trip, and I was beginning to wonder if Iolani’s freakish brushes with death weren’t accidents. But I wasn’t going to add to her worry until I was sure.

While pegasus sucked at sharing, I found myself wishing August would hurry up and accept the claim so I could confide my suspicions. I wouldn’t betray Iolani’s trust by revealing her secrets unless it became a life and death situation. But I would’ve felt better if he’d been aware of the situation so he could be prepared for any attacks.

Where Iolani’s mind was painted in color and filled with beauty, August’s was hostile and monochrome. Or at least that’s how it had been before Iolani. With each hour he spent in her company, I was seeing his mind’s stark landscape shift to a drab wash of color.

He was seeing and feeling the world differently because of her… and his butthole was puckering in terror. Which was a problem, since the man had never experienced fear and was doing his best to distance himself from it.

That first night we’d slept with Iolani between us, I’d wanted him gone. But Iolani’s thoughts keyed me into the fact he was her unclaimed mate. When I realized he’d walked away from her, I’d given serious thought to killing him for hurting her heart. Then her thoughts had shown me how he’d been there for her and my desire to have my mate happy and safe outweighed my desire to kill him… which was saying a lot, because I really wanted to kill him.

Sharing a female wasn’t a pegasus trait. We tended to kill any rivals for our mate’s attention; it was simpler that way.

My opinions changed when I realized how turned on she’d been by having August involved during intimacy. Anything that added to her pleasure was something I wanted.

Which was why, when I’d sensed August moving through the woods, I’d made sure to angle her so that she faced him. And as expected, when she’d spotted him watching us, her lust had spiked.

Intimacy with the pair of us increased her pleasure to a level we wouldn’t be able to achieve separately.

So until the winged pussycat stopped being a flying chicken, I was going to take every chance to show him what he was missing. I enjoyed goading him, and I adored pleasuring her… so it was a win-win situation for me. Because the sooner he came to the realization that he could never walk away from her, the sooner we could start showing our beautiful mate a whole new world of pleasure.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear…

“The lodge is just past that line of trees.” August trotted up next to me. “How do you want to handle this? Do you want me to take her and give you time to shift and come up when you’re ready? I can also open a balcony door for you and you could come in under the cover of darkness.”

He might not read minds, but he’d picked up on my discomfort and was trying to make this less stressful for me. It was disgustingly sensitive for a man who thought he was too cold to love.

Coming to a stop, I tossed my head toward my back.

August understood. Pulling his horse to a stop, he dismounted and gathered Iolani into his arms. His arms bumped my wing, and he stiffened. He turned wide eyes on me, waiting for me to retaliate.

I snorted.

He belonged to Iolani, so he was safe. But I wasn’t about to tell him that. I hated people feeling comfortable enough to talk to me… the last thing I needed was for them to feel comfortable touching me.

As August stepped away, I flicked out my wing, whacking him in the back of the head. He grunted, whipping his head around to glare at me. But I had both my wings tucked tight against my back, and I widened my eyes in feigned innocence.

“You, my friend, should’ve been swallowed,” he hissed, walking away like he’d had the last word.

Yeah? And I bet your baby toe gets banged more than you do.

August spun on his heel to face me. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out if he’d imagined my voice in his head, or if his imaginary friend had developed a sense of humor.

I blinked, acting as though I couldn’t hear the delightful string of curses running through his mind.

Color me impressed! Who knew he was so creative? I struggled not to laugh, knowing it would confirm his suspicions and ruin my future fun.

“My mistake. I thought I was dealing with an adult,” he mumbled, turning toward the lodge and striding away.

Poor, naïve man.

August had done the worst possible thing you could when interacting with a pegasus…

He’d amused me.

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