Captive: Blue Barbarian Series Read online

  “He knows it,” Tijar says, and takes my other hand. “We have some news to share.”

  The three parents lean in, suddenly interested.

  “Jeroc, Tessa and I have mated.”

  Whew. Done. The secret is out. My stomach knots as I wait for the reactions.

  “I am so happy,” Serrata says, her eyes tearing. “Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine our sons would be mated?”

  “No,” Geviva says, dabbing her eyes.

  Whatever I expected, that isn’t it. Neither is the next question.

  “Will you have children?”

  My tongue is tied. There are so many issues with that it’s ridiculous. Like who’s the daddy? But now suddenly all the watching of our interactions makes sense. They knew. They were anticipating when.

  Tijar presses a kiss to my knuckles. “We have not yet talked it over. But I have to admit my intent by showing her the cuteness of Jereek.”

  “Tijar and I have always wanted children,” Jeroc says. “But it will be Tessa’s choice.”

  “Of course,” his mother says. “Don’t think about it right away, Tessa. Let the idea grow on you.”

  I’m still tongue-tied. “How…who’s…”

  Whose sperm shall it be? How will we know whose offspring it is?

  My guys seem to know. “It does not matter,” Tijar says. “Jeroc’s seed or mine will produce a child that is ours. A son with one mother and two fathers. He will be loved by the three of us equally.”

  Jeroc squeezes me, with his arm around my shoulders. “It is not something you must think about any time soon, sweet. Our mating is fine as it is.”

  “Well, this is great news,” Geviva says. “I will gather dinner and we shall get started.” She rises from her pillow, and Serrata gets up to help her bring out the seafood.

  Tijar leans down and kisses my forehead. “I missed you,” he whispers.

  “I love you,” I whisper back.

  The parents are all babbling back and forth, ignoring us. So he kisses me, and it’s deep and promising. He nibbles my lips, and I have to fight from moaning.

  Suddenly I feel Jeroc’s hand, caressing my back. I pull away from Tijar. But a look passes between my men.

  Now Jeroc leans in behind me, and whispers in my ear. “No need to pull away, sweet Tessa. I know you miss Tijar.” He places a kiss on my neck just below my ear, and it sends a delicious shiver through me. “Besides,” he continues. “You know I like to watch.”

  “Really?” I turn my head slightly behind me to see his expression as I tease. His eyes gleam and he leans in for a kiss, tasting Tijar on my lips.

  “Yes, really.”

  Then Tijar leans forward, and he whispers in my opposite ear. “We’ll show you how much tonight. If you think you can handle another change.”

  Oh, boy.

  “Lovebirds,” Baldeem laughs. “Separate long enough to eat, at least.”

  My cheeks feel warm as Tijar and Jeroc pull away, laughing.

  After we finish eating, I lean back on Tijar’s chest as he sits against a wall with his legs spread. Jeroc sits between mine, his head on my thigh.

  I can hardly wait for an acceptable time frame to pass so we can sneak back home and explore further sex between us. Last night was just a mild taste of possibilities. I’d like to know just how far we can push things. Will the guys touch? Will they stay separate? Will I get fucked twice? Is it okay to have sex one-on-one? Will we always have sex together?

  I trace circles on Jeroc arm as he lays on me. Baldeem is telling a story of getting caught in a cave when night hit, and making it inside just as the creatures came out. I’m only half listening because I’m aware of how heated Tijar feels against my back.

  “Soon,” he whispers against my ear.

  Both my guys know what I need. “Sorry,” I whisper. “I guess this is too new. I can’t wait to explore us again. It’s almost an irresistible pull.” As soon as I say it, I’d like to bite my tongue. Now I’ll have to admit to the guys why I’m so oversexed. They’ll want details about what the Drurians did to me.

  But Tijar laughs. “It is the mating call, little one. We were lucky to reach it. It ties us together and assures us we made the right choice.”

  “So you both feel this, too?”

  Jeroc nods and Tijar whispers, “Oh, yes.”

  Then Jeroc adds, “There will never be anyone else for any of us.”

  For once, I don’t feel like such a freak. No wonder Niki had sex once with Drakar in a cave with all of us present. This lust is almost uncontrollable. Every touch lingers, and every look from the guys is soft and loving, filled with decadent promises for later.

  I can hardly wait. The tension level rises.

  Chapter Eight

  We leave the parents’ cave with a promise to start regular dinners again. The three of us are quiet as we head back, I’m sure the guys are thinking, just like I am, of what possibilities lay before us. Tijar holds the curtain back for us to enter, and then he attaches it closed with a hook.

  Jeroc and I move directly to the furs. I lay in the middle, against a pillow. Jeroc sits back on one side of the extra large nest. I turn my back to him and hold up my hair, letting him untie my strings to my halter and vest. I strip it off, and then pull off my skirt.

  When Tijar sees us, he crawls atop me. He’s still in his loincloth, and I frantically pull at the string that loosens it. With one hand, he pushes it off his lean hips, and his huge erection jumps out. I reach out, and it’s warm in the palm of my hand. Tijar hisses, and from the corner of my eye, Jeroc squirms.

  Wow, for a second I’d almost forgotten Jeroc watches. But there he is, staring at Tijar’s cock. I keep my eyes locked on his, and slowly move down Tijar’s raised body until I’m lined up with his sex. I give a long, slow swipe with my tongue and both men groan. They’re fascinated with blow jobs now.

  Then Jeroc is wriggling around and I realize he’s releasing his erection from the leggings he wears. He’s going to play with himself.

  “Lick his cock again,” Jeroc mutters. I lick all the way up Tijar’s length, like it’s an ice cream cone about to melt.

  Tijar’s trembling.

  “Keep licking,” Jeroc says, his voice husky. “Don’t stop, sweet. I love watching you with Tijar in your mouth.”

  I do as he asks, sliding the head of his cock back and forth over the flat of my tongue. He groans, which makes Jeroc groan too. He’s stroking himself slowly.

  “I need to be inside you,” Tijar says. “I’m so hard, I’m close to coming.”

  I slide back up along his body and hook my legs around his hips. With one fell swoop, his delicious blue cock rams in to the hilt, filling me.

  “Come here,” Tijar growls, and he’s looking at Jeroc. Jeroc moves to us, and his beautiful erection is staring me in the face. Tijar takes his cock with his hand and all three of us freeze. He strokes it once, and then aims it toward my mouth.

  Instant wetness soaks me. My guy just touched the other’s dick. And neither one seemed to mind.

  I go wild, opening my mouth wide and sucking Jeroc in. And then Tijar begins to thrust, and my entire body is moving up and down, to the same rhythm as I suck Jeroc.

  The image of Tijar grabbing Jeroc’s cock keeps me going. It was…wild. Naughty. Nasty. Hotness runs through me, and Jeroc is gasping with my ferocious sucking. Then suddenly, Tijar shouts, and hot wetness reverberates through me. With a look between them, he pulls out. I moan as the swollen cock rings leave my body, one by one, inch by inch. He’s still hard, but he’s panting when he moves aside. Then Jeroc is there, and he’s pushing into me.

  Good Lord, it feels so different. His dick is thicker. And it’s even wetter now, because he is right there in the middle of Tijar’s cum. It seems to be a turn-on for him to have sloppy seconds, because he’s thrusting, deep and sure. Each thrust is noisy, coated with my slickness and another’s cum. The sounds of wet flesh slapping are loud in the cave. We’re both so ex
cited, I know Jeroc isn’t going to last long.

  But Tijar’s not done yet. He reaches between us and pushes between my slick pussy lips to rub my clit.

  It’s so wondrous to have one lover fucking me while another plays with my clit. Knowing his hand is brushing up against Jeroc’s body is the biggest turn on. My entire body seizes up suddenly and I cry out as I shatter against his finger, my internal muscles clenching around Jeroc’s massive blue cock.

  I’m barely aware of Jeroc’s groan as he comes, and there’s so much fluid in me it’s rushing down my thighs. He collapses when Tijar removes his hand, and we pant together for a bit. Tijar gets up and gets a basin and a piece of fur, cleaning himself. After Jeroc rolls from me, Tijar cleans me. Jeroc cleans himself, and then Tijar crawls into bed with us, with me sandwiched in the middle, warm and snug.

  And exhausted. I love these two men.

  I’m not sure if it’s morning yet, but something has woken me. I’m hugging Jeroc, but Tijar is cuddled from behind, spooning me. I’m in a good spot, completely content. I’m listening to their even, deep breathing, I’m well-sated, warm and loved. Well, not that anyone has said I’m loved, but I feel it.

  There’s commotion out in the hallways.

  “Wet moon,” Jeroc mumbles.

  Tijar yawns. “Let’s go check it out. Tessa hasn’t seen one yet.”

  We scramble out of bed and drape furs around ourselves. Outside the cave, people are laughing and cheering as they wander outside. We follow them, and everyone is staring and playing at the rain in wonder.

  “It’ll give us a reprieve, but it’s short,” Jeroc says. “Then, the wet season hits.”

  We spend an hour visiting and laughing with the others, and it’s enough time to fully awaken. We head to the pool to wash up. By unspoken agreement, we head back to the cave, where Jeroc lights a fire. Tijar goes to the kitchen to grab us a plate of food.

  “It might be easier to leave clothes here,” Tijar says, taking a bite of the roasted chicken. Okay, it’s not really chicken, but I like to think of it as that.

  I’m not sure about leaving clothes here. Suddenly I panic. What if I have a fight with Jeroc? There’s nowhere to escape to when I don’t want to deal with him. With Tijar, he’ll go off to hunt for a few days. So I don’t say anything.

  “It probably would be,” Jeroc agrees casually. “After all, you’re both here all the time.”

  We just mated. We just announced we mated. This is too much, so soon. I still say nothing, hoping the subject will change. I do catch the two guys looking at each other. I shiver. The rain brings a damp chill, because it’s so sudden. We went from the middle of summer to rain, in the span of one day.

  “I’m going to run home and get some leggings,” I say, and make my escape. When I get near the cave I share with Miranda and Cammie, I can hear raised voices coming from inside. Dammit. I hesitate with my hand raised at the curtain.

  It’s Cio. As far as I know, Miranda’s been avoiding him and spending more time with Aschero. Ash is on the same hunting shift as Tijar, and I know he’s off today. I’m surprised Cio is in the cave. But with the loud sounds, I’m pretty sure he’s not staying. He doesn’t seem to be happy with it, either.

  I’m in a dilemma. I can’t go back to Jeroc’s without the clothing I said I was coming for. They might insist that it’s best to move into one place again. And I really don’t want to interrupt what’s going on inside.

  I take a deep breath. The better option is not to have the conversation with my guys about moving in together. I rattle the door, and push aside the curtain.

  “Sorry to interrupt. I’m not prepared for the rain, and I need to grab some clothing.”

  “No problem,” Miranda says tightly. “Cio is leaving.”

  He turns and leaves without a word. I feel a little sorry for him. He has to know Miranda favors Aschero over everyone else. That has to hurt. He should probably just bow out gracefully.

  “Everything okay?” I ask her.

  She sighs. “I thought it would be easier. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but it really is Ash I want to be with.”

  I smile at her. “Then go for it.”

  “But what if…” her voice drops to a whisper. “What if I get too attached?”

  “You won’t know until it happens,” I say. “So deal with it then. Not now.”

  She nods. “You’re right. I should stop trying to plan it.”

  “Exactly.”

  I quickly change clothes, deliberately leaving my other clothes in the cave. Even as I try to encourage Miranda not to plan her life, here I am planning mine. “Where’s Cammie?” I ask.

  “I think she’s outside in the rain with Naag.”

  I nod. “Well, I’ll see you later. I’m over at Jeroc’s.”

  She smiles as she lies on her nest, but it’s a little sad. I feel kind of guilty, leaving her like this. I head down the hallway, and at the last minute, turn toward Ash’s cave. His curtain is open and he’s inside, sharpening one of his blades.

  “Hey, Ash,” I say.

  “Good day, Tessa.” He raises an eyebrow.

  “Just wanted to let you know Miranda’s in our cave. She’s alone and seems a little sad today.”

  He immediately looks worried. “Is she all right?”

  “I’m sure she is. She just doesn’t need to be alone. It’s a good time for company, since Cammie and I are both out.”

  He nods, and walks with me back down the hall. I leave him at our door, where he rattles softly. As I walk away, I hear her call out.

  And I get back to Jeroc’s cave.

  He and Tijar are talking softly when I enter, and then they’re quiet. It makes me think the conversation is about me. But they don’t say anything, so I shrug off my paranoia.

  “It’s nice and toasty in here,” I tell them.

  “Come crawl in bed with us. We can warm you further, my love,” Jeroc says.

  Oh good. They’re not going to hold a grudge over the moving-in thing.

  I snuggle between them and it feels so good.

  “Tessa,” Jeroc whispers. “You don’t need to be frightened. You can move in here, and if you need space, you can go stay with any of your girlfriends in any of the caves. I know Tijar and I have our parents to go back to. I know you feel stuck, and I know you’re wary of change.”

  I still, and Tijar goes still.

  “I don’t want you to think I don’t want to move in. I do love you both and I want to be around you both. Always. But I guess there’s one more thing I need to tell you. It’s something I’ve never told anyone before.”

  “No one?” Tijar asks. “Not even the other humans?”

  I take a deep breath. “No.”

  “It is not good to keep secrets. I understand if you are not comfortable with sharing, but you have to look at why it is uncomfortable. Are you afraid of being judged?”

  “Partly. The other reason is I don’t want anyone to look at me differently.”

  Then I proceed to tell them of my life before the abduction, and the changes that were done to me on the ship.

  * * * * *

  Six months later (from the human way of counting):

  I sleep content until early morning. Then my stomach growls softly. Apparently I’m not as content as I imagine. I slip down the nest, crawling slowly between the two guys without waking them. I dress quietly, and then slip from the cave.

  On the wall is a beautiful necklace of feathers that Tijar made me as a mating gift. Jeroc made me a belly chain of tiny, pearlescent seashells. I finger my gifts, as always. The feathers are so deliciously soft against my skin, and the chain glitters against my skin. I’m afraid to grab them to put on, though. I don’t want to wake the guys.

  There’s always someone in the kitchen, and this time it’s Miranda.

  “Hey, girl, what’s up?”

  She smiles. “Not morning sickness.” She cringes, referring to Niki. That one had it bad.

  I laugh. Miranda
’s definitely pregnant now, her stomach round and sweet. So many changes in the last six months have occurred. Miranda had mated with Aschero when she fell sick from an overdose of medicinal tea during the night of Lucie and Rayhaan’s wedding. Things worked out in their favor, though, and now even Cio is mated to a Blaedonian named Adretta. Adretta originally tried to mate with Rayhaan by lying about carrying his child, and Lucie came close to being the only one to leave with the Stargazers. We didn’t know it at the time, but confessed it later.

  Niki, on the other hand, is huge to me. She’s been pregnant since we landed here. She’s swollen like a basketball, and ready to expel a baby that seems to be as large as its barbarian father. I shudder. That’s one aspect I am definitely not ready for. I’ve never been around a lot of pregnant women, but I’m assured by Cammie, who seems to know more about pregnancies, that she’s not even as close to as big as she’ll be at a normal nine month pregnancy. I can’t even imagine. We’re guessing she’ll be pregnant an entire year.

  “Aren’t we lucky?” Miranda asks.

  “Very much so,” I agree, searching a basket on the table for munchies. There’s some jerky that I love and some fruit, and some little cakes that taste like spiced zucchini bread. I help myself.

  “What made you decide to stay?” she asks. “Back when the Stargazers offered us rides home?”

  “I had nothing to return to.”

  “But you’re a ballerina,” she says. “That’s not nothing.”

  I cringe. “I was a ballerina because I was good at it. I had nothing else to focus on, and ballet lessons got me out of the house. My parents figured out it was a legal way to sell me. I was young when the money started rolling in.” I smile grimly. “I wonder who’s paying their bills now.”

  She nods. “You know I was wanted for murder. There was no one back there I wanted to see, even if I did fight the charges. I’d been bounced around foster homes until my scholarship. But even after school ended, it was just going to be me against the world. I think that’s why I put up with Michael for so long.”

  “It’s amazing what we deal with, huh? Whether out of loneliness or because we think that’s what we have to do.”