His book gets laid to the table as his gaze finds mine. "Perhaps we should be asking ourselves what happened to your entourage. They haven't left you by yourself long enough to strike up a conversation. Makes me wonder improper thoughts about whether they do indeed follow you everywhere."
Blood rushes to my cheeks at his insinuation that they'd be with me on the toilet too. My pride might take a hit if it weren't for the easy smile that graces his lips, making me all too aware of the fact that he's teasing and just how attractive he is.
Crossing through the threshold, I make my way over to the table where I promptly lean a hip against the side and defend my mates. "With the fate of their kingdom up in the air mixed with the daunting task of not knowing what to expect, they're allowed to be more protective than usual. Plus, you're a stranger to them. It'll take some getting used to for a while."
"I'm a stranger to you, too," he states the obvious, tilting his head back so as not to drop our locked stares. "I don't want to be, though. You can't imagine growing up in my birth kingdom. Bruinen ruled with his temper and an even harsher hand. They'd always tell me I was born from hate and for nothing other than to spread that hate. But, oh, how I'd held out hope for something like this. Never thought I'd be a prince, but I'd hoped I'd find you."
"And now that you have?" I question.
He shrugs slightly. "That's entirely up to you. If you'd rather not be tied to a lower-ranked and despised citizen such as myself, then I'm sure we can make arrangements to stay out of each other's way instead of risking our lives in the ritual to be unmated."
"I was raised in the human realm," I blurt, taking him by surprise. "It wasn't until my mates saved my life after I fell into open water off a cruise ship that I even stepped foot into this one. Then I find out that not only am I the last hope for the entire population of mer, but the cruelest of them all is my birth father."
His jaw drops until there's an inch or so between his lips, and I take advantage, adding, "That's right. Think your dad was bad? Mine just so happens to be the biggest villain this realm has ever seen. Oh, and then find a way to balance being mated to three, now four, princes, which isn't particularly the custom in the human realm by the way. And if that wasn't enough...as soon as we make it back to the kingdom, I get a crash course on being a damn queen. Without that title, though, who am I? The daughter everyone would love to use against the one they hate most. Or just kill me. Maybe both."
Aukai's utterance is quiet and filled with venom. "Never."
Ignoring him, I ask, "So, tell me, who is the lower-class, most hated citizen now?"
As he stands, the movement is so fluid that I've barely registered that he's moved until our chests are pressed against each other. Palming my cheeks, he doesn't ask for permission before slamming our lips together. From the aggressive action, I don't expect his kiss to be soft, which is an unexpected shock that I find I like. Taking the time to enjoy the moment, he doesn't push. Simply leaves our lips pressed together. After a few seconds of it, my impatience wears thin, and I take charge, wrapping my arms around his waist and melding our bodies even more. When my mouth opens, it's all the invitation he needs to let his tongue reach out for mine. At my first taste, I would swear I feel myself melting into a puddle at his feet.
A tiny bit of guilt tries to worm its way into my heart at kissing a man my mates aren’t one hundred percent sold on. Shoving that feeling down deep with confidence, I can say without a doubt they trust me. Within that, the olive branch reaches out to Aukai, too. Were we not there for each other when facing down the monster, neither of us would’ve lived. I barely know the mer, but I’m going to listen to my instincts when they say he’s just as safe and trustworthy as my other mates.
It's amazing how heavy the weight of uncertainty is, but even more so how quickly it all seems to fall away the moment I’m connected to any of them.
Aukai is assertive yet still seems to be holding back as our tongues barely brush against each other. The tease feels as good as if he were to take control with more force. His hands clenching in the back of my dress are the only sign of his restraint.
“Knew I’d find you here,” a voice calls from the door behind me. Humor laces Zephyr’s voice, bringing a smile to my lips that are still molded against Aukai’s.
He tries to pull away in what I assume is a small panic to not be caught by the Zs while touching me. Refusing to let him go, I grasp my wrists at his back. A grimace flashes across his face, but I don’t take offense to it. Retribution and punishment were likely doled out in swift waves where he’s from. When one lives that kind of life long enough, it’s expected for life to always be that cruel.
“What do you expect when you three have been hovering like mother hens lately?” I tease the playful mer without taking my eyes from Aukai. He must sense the humor in my words because his gaze drops from Zephyr down to my face, and the smile there has him relaxing instantly. It’s a physical change that I can feel beneath my fingers as his muscles untense.
There’s a slight breeze at my back alerting me to Zeph’s presence right before he hops up on the table at our side, avoiding Aukai’s things still sitting there as he retorts, “Well, my brothers aren’t convinced about the truth of your new mate’s revelations.”
“And you?” Aukai asks, tightening his hold around me.
Zeph shrugs with a smirk. “I trust my mate’s judgement. I’ve lived a long time, and instincts have saved my tail more than a few times. If hers are telling her that you’re to be trusted, then I’m on her side.”
His words transform my smile into a grin. Even after breaking the curse and mating them all, I wasn’t aware any of them put that much faith into me past that point.
“Besides,” Zephyr adds, “I believe the truths you speak about the shared blood. You remind me a lot of our mother.”
Knowing how painful it must be for him to have this reminder slapping him in the face, I reach out for Zephyr too while keeping my hold on Aukai. His fingers link through mine before he brings my hand to his lips. The sadness doesn’t leave his eyes, but I can tell our connection helps. I’d do anything to get rid of the emotion he’s trying so hard to hide. An idea hits me like a sack of bricks to the side of the head.
“Why don’t we try to open the portal to the kingdom?” I ask, glancing back up to Aukai and drawing his gaze back to me.
He winces slightly before he replies, “We could try, but there’s no guarantee that it would work. Neither of us have ever been to their land-”
“Our,” Zephyr interrupts him. “Our land. Our kingdom.”
Aukai gives him a slight nod, continuing, “Our. It’s possible that we could end up anywhere in the realm.”
“What about in the between?” Aukai asks. “Is it too far-fetched to think your magic working together could get us stuck there?”
His words take me back. I didn’t know such a thing could be an outcome. “When you say ‘between,’ are we talking about-”
Zeph interrupts my question with a ready answer. “Yes. It’s a space void of life between one place and another.”