25
THE LITTLE DEATH
JADE
My fears fade when I see the way Calder looks at me.Passion. Affection. Perhaps he won’t be irreparably damaged now that I’ve returned his soul fragments.
Sure, I expect he’ll likely have a long road to a full recovery. But he’s able to push his anger and pain aside to be with me. And Osen.
Maxum and Flint are standing quietly in the corner. If it weren’t for my connections to them, I would swear they weren’t in the room with us. I appreciate how they’re giving Calder enough space to figure this out and letting me know I’m safe in case he loses his mind.
Our incubus ghost hasn’t said much to me, but he’s enjoying every second and every caress as much as I am.
“He never got to touch me like this,”Osen finally confesses in my mind as Calder hovers over my body and pauses to eat me up with a look.“My incubus power took over too fast andimmobilized him. He always riled me instantly. A blessing and a curse.”
An idea occurs to me, and I ask Calder, “How does a phoenix claim a mate?”
His gaze snaps up to mine. He considers me for a moment, then answers, “We… uh, during the mating, our talons pierce our mate’s flesh. Then, when we experience the little death that is a full body orgasm, I share my flame with you. My essence.”
“So, with me being your potential mate, could you still have sex without mating me? Or could that happen without you meaning to?”
He cocks a brow. “It would be hard to resist claiming you, but yes, I believe I could deny the compulsion.”
“Not that I’m asking you not to,” I hurry to add. “You just mentioned you didn’t want to yet.”
“You really can’t live without my cock inside you now?” Calder says with a smirk of pride.
I smile wistfully, wishing I could caress him. He must sense my need and leans down, kissing me, then rubs his cheek over mine. The light stubble of his beard only makes me want him more.
When he lifts back up, I find my words. “I want to feel you inside me. And Osen wants it too. Would you make love to…us?”
His eyes widen, and he swallows hard. His ice-blue eyes search my face as he thinks about my offer. “Jade, I don’t want to dishonor you. Or what Osen and I had.”
“I don’t think of it like that, but do you?” I ask.
“I think I’m in love with you.” He rests his forehead on mine and clenches his eyes shut hard, like he’s expecting me to shove him away. “AndI still love him, too.”
“Hey,” I call softly. “Look at me.” When he does, I go on, “I love Flint, Maxum, and Arran. And I pretty sure I’m in love with a certain bratty ghost too.”
Calder smiles, but then it fades.
“And I love you too,” I add. When his blue eyes blaze with affection, I say, “I want us to have this, but only if you want it. Osen is part of me now, so you might as well embrace this situation as much as I am. I don’t want to shut him out and pretend he isn’t here when we’re together.”
“Okay, yes.” His luscious mouth claims my lips and tongue, and I’m panting when he breaks away. His eyes flicker up to my unrestrained hands, appearing nervous.
“Tie me down,” I say firmly so he won’t second guess my request.
He bites his lip and grabs a long strip of fabric. Like a pro, he wraps one end around my wrists above my head, then he ties the other end to the frame of the pallet under the mattress. His finger grazes my binds.
“Comfortable?” When I nod, he says nervously, “If it gets to be too much or if I’m hurting you. Or the binds are hurting you?—”
“I’ll say yellow for slow down and red for stop,” I interrupt. “And if you’re fucking my mouth, then I’ll mentally reach out to Flint.”
“Stars, youaremade for us,” Calder whispers and stares at my mouth. “I want to feel your sweet lips wrapped around my cock.”
I open wide and stick out my tongue, flattening it.
All three males groan, and even Osen does in my mind.
