“I do.” I reach out, cupping his cheek with my hand. “You know, by all the gods, I do.”
“I do.” He nods, smiling a little more as he presses his cheek into my hand, then kisses it.
As Ström kisses my neck now, quiet and letting me process all this, I realize what a rock he is for us. He never pouts, never rages, never lets his rash nature get the best of him when it matters, other than engaging in pissing matches with my other drake.
It reminds me of the strong, righteous, but caring nature I saw in his great-grandfather tonight, the Jarl with the massive family who all love him. Ström could be that partner for me, I know, if we ever had younglings.
Our family growing kinder, wiser, and more sweetly teasing, generation after generation.
“You’re a good mate,” I say now, watching Ström over my shoulder. “Do you know that?”
“Rikyava. You’re making me blush.” Ström chuckles, as he really doesblush at my praise. I’ve hit the nail on the head, though; with a wry twist of his lips, Ström pulls away, heaving the chair next to me around and straddling it. He’s pensive as he folds his arms across the back.
Pensive and scared, as his vivid green eyes flick to me.
“I need to figure out these memories. Stat.” That haunted look takes him. “I fear I can’t ever truly be the mate you see in me, that you need me to be, until I know what’s in them.”
“We’ll get your missing memories back, Ström, I promise you.” I reach out, taking his hand and gripping it.
“Aesa’s Truthstone has been the first thing to break the curse of Bone Magic that holds my memories hidden.” Ström nods to it in my chest. “When it resonated with your Bloodwalker power, Rikyava, it thrust into me like a sword. Snapping that magical lock… and letting everything tumble out.”
“How about we find a way to get your memories back a little more calmly?” Bjorn chuckles now, though his look is serious. “That was a firestorm, what Rikyava and I felt from you when you shifted. We need you in more control than that, Ström, if you’re going to be any use to us fighting the Black Dragon.”
“I know.” Ström sighs, running a hand through his short, tawny hair, which looks dark in the midnight hour now with streaks of brighter blond. “But whatever Aesa’s stone did to me tonight, along with Rikyava’s own power, was a start. I think I need to work with it… try to figure out what’s next.”
“We can experiment with it over the next few days.” I’m supportive as I squeeze Ström’s hand. “Until then, I think we all need to take a break and get some rest. I don’t know about you two, but now I’m the one who’s fucking beat… and we have a lot we’re up against. Even more than before.”
“Rikyava’s right. We need some sleep. Now,” Bjorn rumbles as he rises. Extending a hand, he helps me up as Ström pushes up from his chair as well.
“Separate bedrooms? Or together?” Ström asks warily as he looks at me.
Lifting a hand, I set it to my chest—but I only feel Aesa’s Truthstone quiet now beneath my palm.
“I think we can risk all sleeping together,” I say, meaning it. “Aesa’s stone seems to be giving me a break, now that we’ve realized what it was trying to tell us about my magic.”
“I’m not feeling anything from it, either.” Ström glances at it. “Just a slight humming sensation through our bond. Nothing that’s scorching me, or lancing at me. Which is a good thing right now, I suppose.”
“You need a break just as much as the rest of us.” Bjorn extends a hand, indicating Ström’s bedroom. We all go, for the second time in as many hours. A weird feeling of déjà vu takes me as we all enter and I see our clothing from earlier, including my plum dress, discarded on the floor.
“No funny stuff, just in case,” I say now. I flop down to the soft coverlet on Ström’s massive bed and crawl up to the pillows, shimmying down under the duvet and soft silk sheets. I yawn; sleep is already coming, and I’m there for it, three sheep counts from falling over the edge.
“No funny stuff,” Ström agrees with a chuckle, going to what I assume is his regular side of the bed, and crawls in. He instantly moulds to me, however, pulling me back into him and spooning me as he gives a pleased growl to feel our naked flesh connect.
“No funny stuff,” Bjorn says with a rumble, more as a warning to Ström as to anyone else.
Bjorn rakes back the covers on the other side of me and rolls on in. As he cuddles close to my front, his big hand envelops my waist and we kiss. It’s sweet kissing, not my usual with Bjorn, meant for us to simply say goodnight.
But all our missing time together these past few weeks comes rushing back, now that we’re all in bed. As I heat all over again, though it’s far more tired now, it comes with none of Aesa’s strange resonance. It’s just me, horny, needing my two drakes.
As they cinch closer in bed—running their hands over me.
“Didn’t we just say something about no funny stuff?” Ström chuckles as his hand strokes my thigh. I can feel him, hot and hard already, his massive cock pressed up against my ass as he grinds closer.
“Shhh…” I admonish him now as I press my ass back on him, rubbing his cock between my cheeks as I lift to kiss Bjorn. Bjorn gives a sleepy, all-male rumble as we kiss. He pulls close now, close enough that I can feel his big erection also, as we press hips-to-hips.
Hard, and ready for what comes next.
There are no words now, as Bjorn, Ström, and I find a slow, deep rhythm together. As Bjorn kisses me, I’m already wet; sliding a hand down, he lifts my leg up over his hip, then palms my ass, hauling me close. Pressing me with his tip, he works his thick way deep inside. I struggle deliciously in his hands, unable to escape how he just suddenly takes me.
