Page 19 of Hers to Keep

Rio’s climax overtook him, swift and unyielding as an avalanche.His throaty cries rose to the ceiling and beyond as his seed lashed out to coat his stomach and chest.Cisco slid his fingers through the remnants with a dirty chuckle, using it to continue working his own cock after Rio was spent.He came with a shout a dozen or so quick strokes later, his cum painting over what Rio had left behind.

Cisco looked over his handiwork with a satisfied grin, tracing lightly over their mingled fluids as Rio shivered under him.After he concluded his inspection, he went to the bathroom to retrieve a washcloth and cleaned Rio off with a reverent touch.

He tucked the blankets around them and wrapped them both up with one arm and one wing.“I love you both more than anything in this world, and I am so fortunate to have you,” Cisco said softly as he clutched them tight.

Mari only woke one time during the night, when Dante joined them in bed, curling himself around her back.He exhaled a contented sigh against her neck when she settled against him, slinging an arm over her hip.She reached out her awareness for Dohal and found his comforting presence right outside their door enjoying the open sky of the desert at night.He seemed relaxed and at ease which, considering the day they’d had, she logged as a triumph.As far as she knew, he didn’t sleep, or he did so rarely enough that he hadn’t yet.

Sleep, bavi, he whispered into her mind.Nothing will touch you and yours tonight.I swear it.

Chapter 7

Thenextfewdayspassed in a whirlwind for Mari.

Tristan slowly grew stronger, until eventually he was attending family dinner with the rest of them.He still didn’t remember a lot about his past, or even the last few months, but he quickly became more comfortable with all of them, and specifically with the two devoted hellhounds that followed him around and catered to his every need.Mari thought they were very sweet now that they weren’t trying to capture her for a seraph with nefarious intentions.

Luis and Dohal spent a lot of time talking quietly together in their native language.She couldn’t tell if it was healing for them or not, but they both seemed stable, and that was the best she could probably ask for given all that they both had been through.She didn’t know the specifics of what had happened to either of them, but she trusted Dohal to tell her if there was something she should be concerned about.

Her magic came back to full force within the first few days, and shortly thereafter, Dohal reported that the wards were as robust as he could make them without access to his prison.When she’d questioned him about whether he was similarly protected, he’d smiled and said, “Yes, bavi, you can stop worrying about me.”But in her deepest heart, she knew she never would as long as an unknowable ancient entity was trying to kill him.

Dante had fully taken over in his mission to make sure she was always properly rested, fed, hydrated, and pleasured.Cisco joked that he was one stopwatch away from scheduling her orgasms for optimal magic cycling.Dante had leveled a narrowed look in his direction at that but hadn’t dismissed the idea out of hand.

While all around everything was going pretty well, the strategy sessions that were now an evening ritual would probably be her eventual undoing.She, Cisco, Rio, Dante, Dohal, Kima, Pricilla, and Willow all shut themselves up in the conference room for hours trying to figure out who their enemies were and what they could do to stop them.They had gotten approximately nowhere.

Willow knew who the Old One was, in as much as Dohal did, but they couldn’t help with ways they might defend themselves or fight him.He predated Willow by quite some time.

Mari was currently brooding her way through family dinner, consumed by worries about the party, the Old One, and trying to stabilize the city.

Bren and Rio sat on either side of Willow, animatedly discussing playlists and music selection.Kima and Cisco had their heads together discussing guard details for the party.

Dante was absorbed in conversation with Giselle and Sam about the menu for a company picnic in November that would be a bigger version of family dinner but include everyone from their business endeavors as well.Mari was looking forward to that event at least, as she’d get to see people she hadn’t seen in much too long.

“You look like you need a movie night,” Tilly said from the other side of the table.

Mari snapped back to the present and nodded with enthusiasm.“I really do.”She turned toward Nova, a bit farther down, who had also been pretty quiet throughout the meal.“You want to join us for margaritas and movies tonight?”

The medusa fixed her with stunning amber eyes.“That sounds like exactly what I need.”

Mari didn’t miss the way Samar smiled as he cleared the dishes.He was doing an admirable job of giving Nova the space she needed to heal after what Vincent had done to her, but the longing looks he aimed in the medusa’s direction told the story of his affection plainly.Mari desperately hoped there was a happy ending for them in the cards, because they both deserved one.

Speaking of possible objects of the handsome snow leopard’s affection, Pricilla had seemed a little distracted during training this morning as well.Her and Samar had seemed to have something going on in recent weeks since the soccer-game-turned-shifter-orgy, but Mari hadn’t had a chance to ask about it directly.

Mari aimed her gaze Pricilla’s way.“You want to join us, Pris?We’ll make it a girls night in.”

The other sex witch beamed a smile her way.“Sure, that sounds like fun.”

“I usually let Tilly pick the movies, which means a lot of car chases and buxom babes.Hope that’s okay for both of you?”

“Nothing wrong with racing engines and bouncing boobs,” Tilly muttered.

Kima slid an interested look the harpy’s way that she pointedly ignored.The prickly lion shifter would absolutely not get an invite to movie night until she mended fences with Tilly about what had happened at the soccer game.

“Fine by me,” Nova said at the same time Pris nodded.

“Great!I’ll get the margaritas, and Tilly usually does the popcorn.Bring along any other snacks you want to share and a blanket.There are some in the media room, but Matilda usually hogs them all.”

“Hey!”Tilly shrieked, but her grin was a mile wide.

“We usually kick off around nine.Dress code is come-as-you-are.Pajamas and ready-for-bed hair highly encouraged.”

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