Careless Wishes Read online

  I balked at first but Dax had slowly lured me over to the dark side. His demands did something to me—sent shivers through me in delicious ways. I knew it was all pretend so it made it okay but there was still a tiny part of me that wagged its feminist finger every time I submitted to Dax. Of course, I just mentally flipped another finger back at myself. In short, I enjoyed the S&M play but not all the time... which made it perfect to indulge in during my visits with Daxon.

  “Fuck, I want to see you touch yourself, but I can't wait any longer.” Daxon rubbed his against mine, getting his shaft slick before he spread me more intimately.

  The tip nudged in slowly, far slower than I expected after all of his impatience. Dax worked himself into me—in and out, little by little—as if trying to drive us both mad. We groaned together once he was fully sheathed, his groin pressed against my ass. Then he drew out and suddenly slammed back in. I had to let go of my ass to brace myself against the bed for his wild thrusts.

  “Did I say you could let go?” Dax growled and slapped my ass.

  I twitched and clenched around him, prompting another groan from him. The sound of it shivered over my back and made me clench again—a delicious circle. Daxon's hands roamed up my sides to pull my blouse out of the waistband of my skirt. He undid my bra, then slid his hands down to cup my breasts, making it impossible for me to return my hands to my ass. But I knew he hadn't really been disappointed by that; he was only looking for a reason to spank me. It was the tamest of his sexual predilections, but Dax knew we didn't have time for a whole bondage routine with straps and toys and chains. Instead, he grabbed my breasts greedily and used them as leverage for his savage thrusts.

  “I've missed these,” he moaned as he massaged my breasts. “And this tight pussy. Did the dragon lick it for you?”

  Oh, yeah, that was another thing Daxon liked. Before I'd come into his life, he'd been the one with multiple lovers. But he's Fey, and Fairies are very open-minded about sex, including the number of partners a person has. Dax adjusted quickly to having the tables turned on him and—being the practical hedonist he is—found ways to appreciate being one of four men who loved me. He indulged his voyeuristic side visually—on the rare occasions that all of us were together—but he had also discovered that he enjoyed hearing about what the other men did with me. Especially if I had played any sort of dominant role in the interlude. I think he got off on knowing that he was the one who dominated me in the bedroom while I dominated the other men. In a way, it meant he could dominate all of them through me. It wasn't true, of course. I didn't dominate my other men, only got aggressive with them occasionally, but this was all a part of the game. So, I, of course, played my part.

  “Yes, he licked me—slow and deep. And he made me scream.”

  “Aw, fuck,” Dax panted. “Did he suck your clit?” One of his hands moved down to rub that very spot.

  “Yes!” I cried out.

  “And did you ride him hard, Princess? Did you straddle the dragon and take your pleasure?”

  “I straddled his face.”

  “Dear Danu.” Daxon started thrusting faster. “I'm close. Get on your knees!”

  He pulled out of me, and I moved off the bed to kneel before him. Dax held his shaft out to me, and I slipped him into my mouth. He didn't want my hands, just my tight lips, which I gave him enthusiastically. Daxon brushed my hair back and stared down at me, his sapphire eyes sparking with power and desire while his lips parted on his rapid breaths. He still had his shirt on; he still had everything on. His pants were folded open and his boxers pulled down beneath his shaft, girding it like the petals of a flower. Dax grabbed the sides of my head to hold me still for his rapid pumping and my hands started to go to his ass but he stopped me.

  “Touch yourself,” he growled. “Work that pussy fast, Princess. I want to hear you scream around my dick.”

  I moaned. His crass words were enough to get me nearly there. When I started rubbing myself, it was all I needed.

  “Not yet!” Daxon snapped. “Pull your skirt down, I want to see you rubbing that wet slit.”

  I pushed down my skirt and went back to touching myself.

  “Get a finger inside—pump that pussy,” he growled.

  I couldn't hold back any longer and started to scream. Daxon made a low sound of delight and came; he'd been holding back for me as well. He filled my mouth as I cried out in ecstasy and things got messy, which he loved even more. I went to wipe it away and he stopped me again.

  “No, leave it there. I want to see my cum dripping down your chin while I make you scream again.”

  Daxon picked me up and tossed me back on the bed. Then he dove between my legs and started doing all of those delicious things he'd asked about Raza doing. Dax may like to dominate me but that didn't mean he only took pleasure, he also dished it out. And when he did, he did it wholeheartedly. My legs flopped open, then started to tremble as he added a finger in two places. I arched my back and cried out in surprise, then straightened to look down my body and lock gazes with him. I started to scream again.

  Thank the Gods we had a soundproof bedroom.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Danu be blessed!” My father exclaimed as I entered the sitting room with Daxon and Caelum. “I have all of my family together and it's not even a holiday.”

  We were the last to arrive but just barely; I'd seen the Seelie carriage being led into the stables when we had pulled up to the castle. Daxon, Caelum, and I had to travel via rath like everyone else since they couldn't twilight like me. That meant a drive up to San Francisco to use the rath hidden in the basement of my father's research company, the aforementioned Gentry Technologies, then a carriage ride to the castle. The SF rath was the only one I knew of that didn't have a rath lord guarding it. Although, I guess you could consider my Uncle Dylan, who lived in the building and ran the company for my father, to be the Rath Lord.

  Tiernan, Falcas, Raza, and Shahzadi had traveled by carriage but also used the planetary raths to cross from their kingdoms to Twilight. It should have been Tiernan and Fal who arrived last since the rath to Seelie was further away from Castle Twilight than the rath to Unseelie, but Daxon had a few business issues to wrap up before we left. And there was that other delay as well—the one in the bedroom.

  “Grandpa!” Caelum ran to my father.

  King Keir of Twilight swept up his grandson and hugged him tightly before leaning back to look at him. My father had his hair bound in a braid and was wearing one of his more casual tunics. In other words, he was dressed for playing with the kids. Keir smiled softly at my little boy, his eyes going glassy with emotion. I knew he loved all of his grandchildren, but Cael had Keir's eyes and nothing makes a parent or even a grandparent feel more connected to a child than seeing their eyes in that child's face. A similar brow or mouth or even a nose is nice and all, but eyes take it to another level.

  I blinked as I realized that could be the reason Fairies always saw their own eyes in the face of our goddess. Maybe it was our minds' way of reminding us that Danu was our mother. Or perhaps it was Danu's doing. Either way, the eyes are the window to the soul and Fairies saw their own souls in their mother. There's something very profound in that.

  “I have so much planned for you four!” Keir exclaimed as he set Cael down amid his siblings. “We're going swimming and apple picking and...”

  Keir's voice faded away as I stared at my children. Keir was right: there was no greater joy than having our family together. Love and blood and loyalty—these were the people who meant the most to me. The people I'd die for and lived for. With my husbands lounging in chairs around the gathered children, watching them with proud smiles; Keir's consort, Eibhleann, standing beside my father, ready to hug any child who got within reach; and Cat weaving among the children with her tail wagging; the scene was complete. And perfect. My chest ached suddenly. Was helping Anu worth risking this? I could lose one of my husbands or my own life. I could lose this.

  Cat le
ft the flurry of our family and came over to nudge my hip. I looked down and saw Danu in her eyes. Again with the eyes. Cat made a huffing sound of reassurance and the ache in my chest disappeared. The warmth of my Goddess settled over my shoulders like a cloak—both a blessing and protection. If Danu approved of my choice, it must be the right one.

  “Mother.” Falcas had broken from the pack to come to me, his arms extended.

  “Hey, baby.” I bent down to pick him up, then hugged him tightly. “I've missed you so much.”

  “I've missed you too.” He laid his little head on my shoulder and nestled into the curve of my neck. One of his hands went into my hair to twirl a lock around his fingers.

  I stroked his shadow hair as his father joined us.

  “Extinguisher Seren,” Tiernan murmured as he drew us both into his arms.

  “Lord Hunter.” I grinned at him before transferring my hand from our son's hair to his. I used those silken locks to pull my husband into a kiss.

  Falcas, unlike his siblings, didn't mind when his parents showed their affection for each other, even when we did it in such close proximity to him. He didn't giggle or groan. He remained content, lying on my shoulder until we returned our attention to him. Tiernan had taught Fal that there are different types of kissing and certain types are only done between two adults, but all of them are a normal, healthy expression of love and are nothing to be ashamed of. All of my husbands and I had tried to teach our children that, but Falcas was the only one who truly understood it so far. Not that I'd expected them to understand yet; children giggling at couples kissing is a pretty normal thing. It was Falcas who was the unusual one, and I loved that about him.

  “Let me get some pictures!” Keir snatched up the digital camera I'd given him.

  “Let me take them so you can get in the shot,” Eibhleann offered.

  “Thank you, my love.” Keir leaned over the Dryad and kissed her smooth, oak-brown forehead.

  His ombré purple braid swept forward to merge with her deep green locks. One of the branches that grew within Eibhleann's hair curled around Keir's braid as if it were sentient. It clung to the braid as my father moved back and he affectionately untangled them, stroking one of her leaves before letting go. Keir handed Eibhleann the camera, then waved the rest of our family over to join Tiernan, Falcas, and me. The other three children gathered in front of me and my husbands to either side. I set Fal down beside his siblings, then snatched my father's hand and drew him into the center of the group, beside me.

  Keir grinned at me, joy radiating from him. “I can't believe our lives are so full, Daughter. To go from having no one to having all of you is a miracle I will never stop thanking Danu for.”

  “We love you too, Dad.” I kissed his cheek and that's when Eibhleann snapped the picture.

  “Don't worry, I'll take more,” she promised. “I just couldn't resist; that was such a perfect shot.”

  “And I want a copy of it,” I said.

  The room was full of perfect shots. My father loved taking pictures of his family, and the Royal Residence, including this sitting room, bore the weight of that love. Framed photographs hung on the walls beside ancient Fey paintings and posed on shelves, tables, and every surface that could hold them. One of Keir's favorites held a position of honor on the mantle. It was of him and me when I was very pregnant. My belly bulged ridiculously with its multiple passengers. I looked like I had swallowed a giant globe. And Dad looked joyous—one arm around my shoulders and one hand over my stomach. With the Fey sun shining on us, bringing out the purple stripe in my hair that matched his and enhancing the stars that laid over both of our eyes, you could really see the familial resemblance. Of course, he looked more like my brother than my father, but that's common in Fairy.

  Beside the picture of us was one of my mother in her Extinguisher gear—arms crossed and hair braided back. Despite the rugged attire, she was smiling brightly and it was a beautiful photo. I knew Keir had chosen it for a couple of reasons. First, it showed my mother in the most accurate light—as a badass extinguisher—and he wanted my children to see their grandmother as she would have wanted to be seen. But he also chose it because it didn't have him in it. It wasn't a romantic shot but rather a tribute to the mother of his child. Dad wanted to remember my mother without hurting Eibhleann's feelings. I think Mom would have approved.

  Our family posed for even more pictures for my father to add to his massive collection until the children started getting fidgety.

  “Okay, little ones, say goodbye to your parents,” Keir instructed. “They have another journey ahead of them and they need to be on their way.”

  “But, Mommy, you just got here,” Shahzy whined.

  Falcas took her hand to say supportively, “We'll see her when she gets back. But until then, we have each other.”

  Shahzadi smiled brilliantly, her wings extending with her pleasure, and leaned forward to kiss her brother's cheek. “I've missed you, Fally.”

  Falcas grinned and looked up to share his happiness with me. I knelt and opened my arms to all of the children. They came forward in a rush—sweet Rowan, charming Cael, bold Shahzy, and the serious Fal. All of their personalities tempered by each other... as Shahzadi had just exhibited with her silly nickname for her formal brother.

  “I love you, my babies. I love you so much,” I declared.

  A chorus of “I love you” returned to me.

  “Be kind to each other and practice your beags. Especially you, Shahzy, I don't want you relying on your Djinn magic all the time.”

  “Yes, Mommy,” Shahzadi said. She always got more obedient when I was about to leave.

  I kissed them all, then drew Cat over. “Watch over our pups, Cat,” I charged her. “Wrangle them for Dad if he looks like he's having a hard time.”

  Cat sat back on her haunches and huffed a long chunk of fur out of her face. I took it as a “well, duh.”

  “Thanks, girl.” I kissed her too.

  Then I stood back so the fathers could descend. Each man grabbed his child and spent a few minutes saying goodbye. For Killian and me, this happened all the time, but for Raza, Tiernan, and Daxon, this was the first time since the birth of our children that they'd be parted from them for more than a few hours. Raza, especially, looked stricken. He had his wings around our daughter as if trying to hide her from the fact that he had to leave.

  I went over to take the Dragon King's hand. “You don't have to come with us. You could stay in Twilight with them and help my father.”

  Raza's reluctance to leave his daughter shifted into irritation at her mother. “Mo shíorghrá, I am a grown man and a Dragon-Djinn. I can handle leaving my daughter for a few days.”

  “Or weeks,” I amended.

  “Weeks?” He nearly roared.

  The children went still, their little eyes rounding as they stared at us. Or at Raza, rather.

  “It's okay.” I held up a calming hand. “Uncle Raza is just a little surprised. He's not angry. Everyone relax.”

  “Maybe he should take his surprise into the corridor,” my father suggested in an overly bright tone.

  “Tiernan, could you take some pictures of Dad and Eibhleann with the children while I speak with Raza outside?” I asked to bypass any anger Raza may have directed at Keir. A dragon can be touchy about his young.

  “Oh, yes, please!” Eibhleann declared.

  “Of course.” Tiernan smiled at her. “Why don't you sit on the couch and the children can sit on your laps?”

  “Wonderful idea,” Keir agreed, but he gave me a heavy look as I passed by with Raza in tow.

  I closed the door behind us and drew Raza down the corridor. I had a feeling that we were going to need more than a door between us and the children.

  “Where are we going?” Raza grumbled.

  “To the Knight's training yard.”

  Luckily, no one was training. We stepped out into an empty courtyard enclosed by high walls and bordered by stone benches. Treet
ops could be seen above the far wall; the wild garden was back there. Somewhere in it was a gazebo covered in roses where I'd made love to Tiernan once. But in the courtyard, there were no roses, only racks of training weapons lined up against one wall. Hopefully, I wouldn't need them. I shut the heavy door behind us and turned toward my husband.

  “I know.” Raza held up a clawed hand. “I shouldn't have reacted so violently in front of the children.”

  “That's not what I was going to say.” I stepped up to him and took the hand he had lifted, lowering it and squeezing it reassuringly.

  “No?” One of Raza's eyebrows—nearly the same shade of black as his skin—lifted, making his sharp features seem even more sinister.

  “You've never been without her,” I said gently. “This is going to be hard, Raza. The first time I left one of my babies, I cried.”