Page 18 of Between Despair and Hope

WithEmmagoingbackto sleep and Thyra settled in on the sofa, I headed toward Lavenia’s bedchamber. Really, the chambers belonged to both of us, as I was her bonded partner, but it had never felt like mine. When I had to stay at the palace, I often preferred Rainier’s chambers. My union was not one made of romantic love, and it was not a secret to those who worked within the palace. More often than not, it was frowned upon. If only they understood how much love their princess actually had for me. She’d sworn her life to me for our mutual benefit, but I suspected it was more for me than it was for her.

Thinking about Ven set the bond between us on fire. We’d been together only a few weeks prior, but it was already calling for me to be inside her again. The two of us weren’t on the same page mentally. We could normally go weeks and weeks without renewing the bond of the Body. But I felt the sharp pull, and I knew she could too. I turned down the corridor to her chambers, and felt her touch on the bond, almost a gentle tickle. I was already hard, the insistence of our connection sending blood straight to my dick. When I came to her door, I didn’t bother knocking, slipping off my boots in the entryway. A servant had sent for me when she heard word of Shivani’s ambush, so I hadn’t bothered to dress, leaving my shirt unbuttoned and hair unbound as I raced to intercept that situation. I should have known better; Emma didn’t need me to stand up to her. I took my shirt off, tossing it on the ground as I walked down the hall.

“Ven? Are you busy?”

A long moan sounded from around the corner, and I felt the bond vibrate with anticipation. When I turned into the living area, my pants tightened. Ven was naked, sitting in the corner of a tufted lounger, her head tilted back and legs spread wide. A mane of wild, curly hair blocked most of my view as Mairin knelt before her. They were a rich display of color writhing in front of me, bright and alive. Lavenia’s tight black curls, short after taking her braids out and cutting her hair, rested on her tawny shoulders as she lounged on the bright sapphire chaise. Mairin’s vivid orange mane and warm ivory skin completed the image, and I couldn’t help but stare, taking them in. Entrancing, I watched as Ven’s smooth, angular body twitched and Mairin’s soft, luscious ass bounced from her movements.

I watched Ven’s hand snake down her chest, gently caressing Mairin’s forehead as she brushed her hair out of the way, digging fingertips into her scalp. The touch was gentle, reverent almost, and I cleared my throat, afraid I was interrupting something private. Lavenia occasionally took others to bed, but it was rare. And since we’d already been with Mairin together, I expected that to be our dynamic. But they’d started without me, which generally meant something with Ven.

“What are you waiting for? I know you feel this shit just as bad as I do,” Lavenia breathed. She looked at me through lowered lashes as Mairin continued with her tongue.

“I do, but I didn’t want to interrupt.” I shrugged, and my dick rather forcefully twitched against the fabric of my breeches in argument. The golden thread between us gave an insistent snap, and Ven let out a whimper.

“You’re not. Come here.” She motioned me over, and I didn’t need to be told twice. Sloughing off my pants, I paused. I needed more than just Ven’s consent.

“Mairin?”

The last time we’d been together, we’d barely paid attention to one another, mostly both focusing on Ven, and I assumed it would be the same this time. But still, I didn’t want to insert myself into what was happening without her permission. The merrow stopped with her mouth, turning to look over her shoulder with glistening lips. Two of her fingers moved with a purpose as she pounded into Ven’s pussy, and the motion distracted me.

“I suppose I’ll share her,” she said, a coy smile tipping up her mouth as her tongue darted out, licking Ven’s arousal from her lips.

“Come here, D,” Lavenia sighed. It was a good thing she did, because I wasn’t sure I’d have been able to hold the bond at bay much longer. She gestured for me to climb onto the chaise next to her, and I did, resting on my knees as she grabbed me through my undershorts. Mairin was kissing up her thigh as Ven pulled at my waistband, freeing me from the restrictive clothing. I hissed as Ven’s hand slid down, grip firm, before batting it away.

“I’m not going to let this go to waste,” I said as I reached down, gliding my hand through the mess between her legs. She moaned as Mairin’s hand moved up, tweaking those nipples as I took my hand to my cock, running her wetness up and down my hard length.

When Ven gripped me, sliding her hand down roughly, she tugged me closer, and I let out a grunt as she pulled me into her mouth. It wasn’t like her to do that, usually opting for only what the bond demanded, but fuck if I was going to stop her. I groaned, tilting my head back and closing my eyes.

As Ven moaned around my cock, I opened my eyes, and looked down to see how Mairin pounded into her. Her legs shook as the merrow pushed three fingers inside her, looking up at her as she swirled her tongue on that sensitive spot. Ven gasped, and though I fell out of her mouth, she kept her grip on me firm. She writhed and whimpered as Mairin continued, the eye contact between them heavy, rife with tension.

And in Mairin’s eyes, I saw the truth of the merrow’s feelings as she looked up at Ven. Alongside the lust, there was awe and adoration. It gave me a moment’s pause until Ven squeezed me hard enough to hurt, and I had to gently pry her fingers from my skin as I hissed through my teeth.

“Gods, Mai, I—” Ven’s panting breaths cut her off a second before Mairin pulled away, kissing her inner thighs as she sat back on her heels and peered up at me, fingers still pumping.

“How does it work? Do you need to make each other come?” She tugged on Ven’s nipple with her free hand, earning a low groan from the woman spread bare beside us.

“I’ve never thought about it.” I paused, thinking about the last time the bond had been sated. “Usually, we’re finishing together, yes.”

Mairin nodded before gently withdrawing her fingers from Ven’s heat. She gently ran her hands up the tops of Ven’s thighs, up her stomach, and stopped at her breasts. Bending over, she pressed a kiss between them, and I knew that, for them, this was more. The cave had been a night of drunken fun as we renewed our bond, but this was different. I already knew where I stood. When the merrow moved up her body and kissed Lavenia tenderly on the mouth, still rubbing tight circles on Ven’s clit, I averted my eyes. A throaty sound came from Ven, and I knew she was close. I felt a bit stupid on my knees next to them with my cock out while they shared this tender moment, until Mairin surprised me. Spitting on her palm, she grasped me in her hand as she forced me to sit.

“What are you doing?” I asked. I was rock-hard, and the bond was insistent, wanting me inside Ven. I didn’t know how much more I could take.

“Getting you ready for her,” she answered as she stroked me from base to tip. I let my head tilt back as I stretched my arms over the back of the chaise. Ven sat up beside me, pulling the merrow in for a passionate kiss.

“You tease,” she said against Mairin’s lips.

“I’ve almost got you there, sweets. I’m willing to let him steal it from me as long as you say my name when he does.” The merrow’s voice was a low rasp, and Ven nodded, not looking at me. Perhaps if I were a better man, I would’ve told Mairin to take the orgasm she earned. It was clear the merrow felt something more, and, though the three of us had been together before and her hand was on my cock, the dynamic between us was off. There was an imbalance, and I owed it to us, to Ven, to make sure it was what we all wanted. If I were a better man, I would’ve stopped things and talked to Lavenia about where they stood. If I were a better man, I wouldn’t have felt abandoned.

There were a lot of things I’d have done differently if I were a better man.

I grabbed Ven, pulling her into my lap and turning her so her back was to my chest, my hands on her waist. Mairin’s hand still gripped me, lining me up with Ven, until she lowered herself. She was so fucking wet, and she felt good wrapped around me.

Ven hovered over me, lowering herself slowly, as she gripped my wrists. After a few moments when she still hadn’t taken me fully, I used my hold on her hips to pull her down as I pushed up at the same time

“Shit, shit,” she gasped. “Divine hell, D, you’re too big this way.”

“You can do it, princess,” I teased. She resisted, so I moved my hands up her back and shoulders, rubbing soothing circles with my thumbs.

Mairin made eye contact with me over Ven’s shoulder before her eyes moved in a slow caress down Ven’s form, lingering where our flesh met. She surged forward, and the merrow’s hand found its way to Ven’s clit. I could feel her rubbing circles on that sensitive spot, and Ven relaxed incrementally. The bond vibrated, almost pushing me to finish just from being inside her. I was tempted to thrust hard a few times to be done with it, to let them explore without me, but I could tell the bond needed more from us. Ven leaned back, head against my shoulder, as she relaxed even further.

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