Page 48 of Eight Embers

His smile could light up the whole city block. “It's a good thing I put that tracker on Rush then, wasn't it? Otherwise, I wouldn't have been in the road when you guys were leaving.”

Oh my gods. “You put a tracker on Rush?”

“I'm sure you see how that could be beneficial. And I get what you're saying, I wasn't offended. I remember when my sister was courting her mates, how she got stressed trying to balance them both. I can't do what you do, Delaney. I couldn't make every damn person attached to me feel like they're my one true love. I couldn't keep all their little details straight, and I sure as hell couldn't make all of them fall for me so completely. You're special. I hope you know that.”

It's nearly impossible to ignore the hardness pressed up against my lower belly, so with a bit of maneuvering and a little help from his strong back, I work him inside of me with my one leg still hitched up on his hips.

We both gasp at the connection, and though it's weird to be going through all this without my other mates and I miss them like crazy, knowing they're unharmed leaves me able to enjoy this.

“Thank you. I'm gonna make mistakes, I'm gonna say stupid stuff and probably hurt your feelings, but if you can remember that at the end of the day, we can always find our way back to this,” I say as I shove my tongue down his throat and squeeze him internally, “and remember how it feels to be connected like this, we’ll be able to work it out.”

Chapter Eighteen

Rush

I try to smile when Delaney finally makes it out of her seduction shower, but even I know that this isn't what smiles should feel like. She's marked Wil and Spencer it seems, and I'm happy for them, really, but I also feel look I don't belong here.

I know she let me take care of her earlier, but for all I know that was only because of the circumstances. Riding my demon pole was pretty much her only option, and I have no idea where I stand now.

“This room is going to try and push you guys together, hope you're prepared for that,” the unicorn tells me.

I shrug. I'm not inclined to be vulnerable when that usually gets me hurt, so I try and act like nothing affects me. “She's got them. What does she need me for? I know Wil’s still a goat now,” andI check on him to see he's still chewing away on a few cans of soda we found in the fridge, and perfectly fine, “but once her bodysmith pheromones wear off he'll be back to his normal, sweet self. Between him and Spencer, they’ll give her everything she needs.”

“Don't you want to be with her too, though?”

“I don't think it matters what I want,” I tell him as I stand to answer a knock on the door.

I find a light green unicorn shifter shaking on the other side, holding a stack of pizza boxes. “Um, three veggie supremes?”

I pat my shirt. “I don't think we ordered those, man. I don't even have a way of paying you. Sorry, I think you got the wrong room.”

He sniffs, presumably inhaling the incredibly potent scents that Delaney and her amorous mates have graced our room with, eyes widening. “You could... pay me a different way?”

What is this, the set of a porno? “That's my mate you're talking about,” I growl, taking the pizzas from him because now he's pissed me off and I am hungry.

“Did you order these, Saladriel?” I ask as I put the pizzas down on the kitchen counter.

He gets up and meets me in the little kitchen. “I'm sure it's Fairygoddess taking care of her chosen one.”

“Well I didn't pay him for them. Not even sure they're ours, but he made a stupid comment, so I took them and slammed the door in his face.”

He waves me off. “Oh, we don't have currency here. We barter in smiles and glitter. Your favorite things.”

When I don't say anything, he snorts and then starts cracking up. “Oh my gods, you should see your face right now. Perfection.”

He's still laughing at me while he wipes his eyes off and looks for some plates in the cabinets. “If Fairygoddess ordered them, which I'm assuming she did, you don't need to worry about the money. She’ll want to feed us so she can take care of us while we're here.”

“This is all so fucking weird,” I mumble as I take a bite. I instantly want to spit it out. “What the fuck is that? That isnotpizza.”

Saladriel chews and swallows, then looks at me like I’m lying. “Yes, it is.”

I plop the pizza down and start poking at it, trying to figure out what's on it.

“Oh, unicorns are vegan.”

Oh my gods, did my father trick me into a new section of Hell? That's so like him. “Dad!” I yell, trying to tempt him out.

Delaney comes walking out in nothing but a towel. “You guys okay out here?” she asks with an eyebrow quirked in response to my shout. “Ooh, pizza!” And she bites into it and immediately spits it out. “What the fuck is that?

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