Kestrel got himself some coffee.
Clementine went across the room to where the kitchen table was. She sat down there, yawning, and surveyed us both.
I sat down at the table with her. “Paladin still asleep?”
“You seem to have no capacity to stop yourself from fucking her,” said Kestrel to me. “I mean, last time she was here, you said you were going to tell her to get dressed, and you came back with her pussy juices smeared all over your pants, and—”
“Wait a second, who fucking jammed his cock in her out on the road last night?” I said.
Kestrel sighed. He came over to the table and sat down. He took his coffee black as well. “Well, it was a full moon. Come on, man. I wasn’t in any position to stop myself.” He looked at Clementine. “You missed the gate, you know that?”
“I live here now,” said Clementine, drinking her coffee.
I snorted.
Kestrel sat back in his chair and shook his head. “You’re okay with this?”
“Go sit on his lap,” I said to Clementine. “See how much he fights with your pretty round ass pressed into his crotch.”
Clementine started to get up.
Kestrel raised a hand. “Sit down.”
She sat down, looking hurt.
He noticed. “Hey, not that I don’t want you to sit in my lap. But you can’t live here.”
“She’s our mate, Kestrel,” I said softly. “So, yes, she can.”
“What changed your mind about this?” said Kestrel.
“Uh, she told me some things. Tell him, what you said, about how you can’t resist us?”
“It’s undeniable,” she said to Kestrel. “But I know it creates hardship for all of us. It’s very inconvenient to my life and to yours. And maybe you guys have to hide me from that Griff person, I don’t know. Iamsorry about that. But I still think it’s better to be here with you. I belong here.”
Kestrel sipped his coffee, grimacing.
“Go sit in his lap,” I said again.
She didn’t move this time. She just surveyed him.
He shook his head.
“Whoa, you found the sugar!” came a voice.
I looked up to see Paladin sauntering into the kitchen, wearing only a pair of boxers. He scratched at his chest hair as he poured himself some coffee and heaped three teaspoons of sugar inside. He put in cream too. He came over to the table and sat down right next to Clementine.
She grinned at him. “Morning.”
“Morning,” said Paladin. “You’re beautiful.”
Her grin got impossibly wide, and I couldn’t help but agree.
“You’re so beautiful,” I said.
“What the fuck?” said Kestrel, annoyed.
“Go sit in his lap,” I said for the third time.