Page 75 of Taken By the Aurelian Warriors

“You’ve got to deal withthat, first.”

His eyes shoot over Brennan’s huge shoulder. Confusion flickers on the leader’s face – but only for a second. Wheeling around, Brennan watches Otho rise up from the ground – and is still frozen there as his battle-brother grabs his ankles and yanks Brennan off his feet; sending him crashing to the cold, hard concrete.

Instantly, Brennan struggles – but this time Lazar jumps forward as well as Otho, grabbing Brennan’s hands while Otho mounts him, straddling across his leader’s powerful legs.

“Calm the fuck down!”

It’s taking both of them to keep their leader pinned to the ground – and I’m not even sure how long they’ll be able to manage that.

“Calm!” Otho’s voice booms out again. This time, he punctuates his word with a single finger, raised and pointing at Brennan’s face.

For a moment, their leader struggles…

…and then it’s like humanity returns to his slate-grey eyes.

Pinned beneath his powerful battle-brothers, Brennan takes huge, desperate breathes of air.

We all watch him as he struggles against his two Aurelians comrades, but as the battle rage flows from his system, he becomes less and less of a match for both of them.

It’s incredible to watch, though. Otho and Lazar are two towering Aurelian warriors – both from the most fearsome warrior species in the universe, and at the peak of their physical prowess; and yet the mating frenzy is so powerful in Brennan, they can hardly contain him.

But they do so just long enough for it to make a difference. Taking more deep breaths, the mask of frenzy slowly leaves Brennan’s face. He looks confused for just a second, blinking his eyes.

“I… I don’t know what happened...”

“You know what the fuck happened,” Otho growls, clamping his mouth shut.

They’re silent as they struggle on the floor – a big, muscular mess of writhing limbs. Their expressions and faces change, as if they’re in the midst of heated conversation, but I can’t hear them speak even in a whisper.

Then, I realize the three of them are leaving me out of a conversation they’re having telepathically – just likeOn Aurelianssaid they could.

After a minute of heated, silent debate, Otho releases his leader – and pauses just long enough to confirm that Brennan isn’t going to try and fight him again.

Then, and only then, Otho clambers to his feet.

He holds his hand out for Brennan to take.

Brennan ignores it – lifting himself up instead.

For a moment, the leader of the three Aurelians surveys his two battle-brothers – and I can’t tell if the implacable expression on his marble-white face is one of gratitude at controlling him, or rage at their betrayal.

I don’t get an answer. The moment ends – and then Brennan turns and stalks towards the stairs – clonking up them, out of our underground lair and into the outside world above.

I stand there, arms wrapped around myself, shivering.

Gods! These three Aurelians are just testosterone-fueled, rutting beasts. I’d read about the so-called mating frenzy, but I couldn’t have believed how true it was until I’d witnessed this display. Brennan was literally losing his rational mind in his burning, uncontrollableneedfor me.

But as terrified as I am – trembling, and panting – there’s more to it than that.

Oh, Gods – Ihatethat I feel this way, but there’s somethingthrillingabout having two huge, alpha males competing for you. Two massive, deadly warriors – each huge and powerful enough to make any girl feel tiny and small in their presence – and they’re each trying to take each other’s heads off for the right to mate with me.

As they break apart their wrestling, Otho turns to me, breathing deeply.

“That shouldnothave happened. Brennan lost control. The mating rage took him.”

I nod, slowly – but my body had responded to that demonstration not with fear, but with something else. Somethingshameful.

But maybe I shouldn’t be ashamed of it. Maybe that’s how I’mmeantto feel.

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