Page 112 of Their Blood Rite

I choose not to answer and instead look out at the gentle breaking waves.

‘Where is this place?’ I ask. ‘I’ve never been here before.’

‘It was my favourite place growing up,’ he says. ‘I lived in a village a few miles from this beach. Spent a lot of my time here.’

‘It’s beautiful,’ I admire.

‘It’s peaceful,’ he replies.

‘What were you like as a child?’ I ask. ‘Did you need to drink blood even back then?’

‘Save it for when you earn your questions.’

‘I took all three of you tonight. I think I’ve earned my questions.’

‘And you came hard. We’re even. Now be quiet, and let me enjoy the sound of the waves.’

‘Pretty sure I told you to stay out of my dreams, dream walker,’ I groan, feeling myself awake in the very real world.

‘Pretty sure I don’t follow your orders, Pixie, ’ Shaw replies with a sleepy yet happy tone. His fingers glide up and down the back of my naked leg as his head rests on my lower back. He plants kisses on my skin.

My face is on Dorian’s bare chest. He’s sprawled on his back, absolutely naked and sleeping deeply. His hand is buried in the knotted mess of my hair. Every time I shift, his fingers curl, keeping a tighter grip so I can’t get too far.

I’m naked, sprawled across the middle of the bed, with both men draped around or over me like vines.

‘I need to wash. I smell of sweat and blood,’ I grumble.

‘You smell fucking fantastic,’ Shaw mumbles, his lips still kissing lazily. ‘I think you should always smell like this.’Kiss.‘Our sweat.’Kiss.‘Our blood.’Kiss.‘Our sex.’

The bedroom door flies open. I yell as Dorian sits up, my head hurtling from his torso as he readies himself with a dagger.

Shaw has also sat bolt upright.

‘We’ve been summoned,’ Archie announces, standing in the doorway and holding a letter. He looks to Shaw. ‘He wants us there tonight.’

‘Tonight?’ Shaw repeats, getting up and taking the letter.

Everyone watches him read it. The muscles in his back tense. His reaction makes the others tense, too. I pull up the sheet to cover myself.

Now does not feel like a time to be naked.

‘Tonight…’ Shaw mutters, lowering the letter and looking at Dorian. ‘And he wants us to bring her.’

‘He wants us to bring her?’ Dorian asks. ‘How does he even know about her?’

‘He calls her the…’ He takes another look at the letter. ‘Runaway Earth Witch.’ Shaw replies.

‘We can’t take her.’ Dorian scoffs.

‘Excuse me,’ I interrupt. ‘Herhas a name.’

‘We don’t have a choice. Not if he’s demanding we bringher,’ Archie adds, walking towards me with his child-like grin to plant a kiss on the top of my nose. ‘Morning.’ He ruffles my hair. ‘You seem to glow brighter when you’re filled with our cum.’

‘Gross,’ I hiss, slapping his hand away. ‘Who even says shit like that, Archie?’

‘Me. I do.’ He sits beside me and watches the others stare intently at each other.

‘What do we do?’ Dorian asks.

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