“But when you’re there, you gave everything you had, didn’t you? You like to help people—no, you have to help people. You’ve never been good at saying no to those in need, and now these shifters need you. So if you’re stepping up, we need to work this out.” He buried his head in my neck, breathing me deep. “Everything that’s in me tells me to tear their faces off for even looking at you.”
“But?”
“But this is part of being your mate. I just want to be clear about what will and won't happen.”
Jai left the bed and went to get everyone, leaving me alone with the heat imprint of his body. I tensed when they all padded in.
Shifters were hard to be around. Our male ideal was big, broad, muscular, strong, and they had this in spades. I could have easily persuaded myself I was on the set of Magic Mike right now, except Channing Tatum had nothing on these guys. Their collective gaze was a tangible presence on my skin, like I could feel every part of my body they raked over or lingered upon. A faint trickle of slick let me know just how nice I thought that was, but I frowned and shook my head. Brains now, heat later.
Heat later? My mind grabbed on that, skipping over the conversation I knew I needed to have and jumping to a scenario where I lay spreadeagled on the bed, a man at every corner of my body, Zane sinking between my legs, ready to—
“Sit down, please,” I said, patting the bed. I needed them close for this. Zane moved first, jumping on the bed with a grin and settling beside me, arm behind my back. Jai growled as he sat on the other side.
“How are you coping?” Nero asked, sitting next to Zane, his eyes gone back to brown again. “That was…ballsy yesterday.”
“But what does it mean?” Kazimir moved in on Jai’s side, nodding to him before sitting down.
“We’ll discuss that,” Jai said, then I felt him stiffen.
Caleb moved in closer, his eyes still bright silver as he regarded the bed. His gaze met Jai’s head on, and faint growls leaked from each man.
“We’ll start with this,” I said. “Can you two be in the same room together?”
The pause was as tense as they were, their bodies locked tight, ready for action.
“Stay on opposite ends of the bed,” Nero said, then he turned to me. “They see each other as competition, from what I can tell. If one manages to take you as a mate…” The growls grew louder. “That locks the other one out in ways we won’t experience. You’ve obviously got a plan. Whatever it is, that’ll need to be factored into it.”
“Can you hold it together while I talk?” I asked Jai, earning me a curt nod. When I looked at Caleb, he did the same. I took a deep breath, not sure where I was going to get the confidence to do this from. Nan’s admonitions pushed down hard, but I was going to have to ignore them for once.
I turned to the last man hanging back. “Gaden?” He sighed and came over to the bed, perching on the very end of the mattress.
Here goes nothing. I scrambled out from under the covers and turned around until I was lying with my head where my feet had been, spread out before them, exactly as I had just visualised. I had a gown on, thankfully, but I had to pull the hem down hurriedly, though Zane’s yellow eyes took everything in. Every set of eyes was now on me.
“Just lean down a bit,” I hissed, feeling my heart rate hammer. “I want to block whatever cameras he’s got on us. We whisper only, make it look like we’re…”
“Getting intimate?” Kazimir asked, sliding a hand across the bed with a question in his eyes before letting it rest on my stomach. I blinked at that sudden warmth, feeling an answering one flare inside me. He smiled, a completely cocky thing, his nostrils flaring as he scented my slick. Emboldened, hands went everywhere, clasping my wrists or my ankles, stroking through my hair. I slow blinked, just letting that sensation wash over but not drown me, then told them my plan.
“I can control animals with my mind,” I whispered. “Nan always told me not to try it with shifters, but…I think I need to.” Grips tightened. “I know, you don’t even know me, but… He thinks you’re animals to be controlled, but chimpanzees and humans share ninety-seven percent of the same genetic material. Stuart’s right, I think we could use my gift against them, because human beings are animals. I’m hoping I can practise on you, use my skills to try and twist your human side to my will. By setting up this deal with Hollingsworth, it gives me a reason to be spending time with each of you, practising, seeing if this will work.”
“You don’t need to do this, Shan. I’m telling you, the pack is coming,” Jai whispered back.
“And having an inside person who can overpower the jailers would be bad? C’mon, Jai, it’s insurance policy at worst and an alternative exit strategy at best. You know I need to try, with your permission.”
“So what? You gonna rub that hot little body of yours all over me while you try to control my mind?” Zane whispered. His grin told me his answer. “Count me in, baby.”
“Don’t call her that,” Jai snapped.
“That would make you a perfect vessel for Hollingsworth,” Nero said with a frown. “He wouldn’t need his little clicker anymore, he’d have you. How do we know you aren’t some kind of plant? You were supposed to be an employee here. Who’s to say you aren’t?”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Gaden said. “She can touch minds sure enough. She did mine when I was in my beast form. I saw home. But who’s to say this isn’t all part of a greater plan?”
“Shan’s not—” Jai spluttered, but Kazimir interrupted him.
“Are you so divorced from your instincts? Smell her! Past the delightful floral fragrance of her arousal, smell her mood.”
I started to wonder at the wisdom of what I’d done, having them all crouched over me like this. Five faces pressed closer, taking deep breaths in.
“I don’t give a shit if she is a plant. I’d much rather a hot spy who’s likely to get her hand on my dick than the clicker guys,” Zane said.
“So we vote,” Nero said, his eyes flicking around the group. “Zane’s in.”
“I’m in,” Caleb said. “I gotta be. She’s…”
“That’s enough for her to practise on, if no one else is willing,” Nero said.
“I’m in,” Kazimir said. “Indeed, I’m going to insist that I be the first ‘subject,’ as so many of you monopolised Shannon’s time yesterday.”
“Good, you can have any I’m allotted,” Gaden said. “If someone leaves a cloth with her slick on it in my cage, I’ll sort the sample out.”
I nearly recoiled when all eyes landed back on me.
“There’s of course the question of who collects it,” Kazimir said, his eyes sliding to the hem of my gown.
“Me. Anything other than what you’ve negotiated with her? I do,” Jai said. “I love her with everything I have. I grew up with Shannon, knew she was my mate as soon as I got to puberty. You don’t realise what you’re asking of me.”
“Yeah, we do,” Caleb rumbled. “No one’s disputing your bond, but every single one of us has loved a woman and given our hearts to someone, even if it wasn’t our mate.”