He licked more peach juice off my lips, then slipped his tongue into my mouth for a long, sensuous kiss. I momentarily forgot we had an audience until River cleared his throat. “While your mom is aware of the purpose of these trials, I don’t think she wants to witness the consummation.”
Warmth touched my cheeks as I pulled away from Sol to find my mother and Mortus intently watching Exos and Cyrus finish their casserole dish. The pink tinge in my mother’s cheeks told me she’d definitely seen my kiss with Sol and had likely overheard River’s commentary.
I cleared my throat and tried my best to keep my hands to myself.
Your vagina still broken, little queen? Cyrus asked as he slid the casserole into the oven. Or are you ready for more orgasms?
I swallowed. I… I feel better; thank you for asking.
His silver-blue eyes found mine. Good. Because I intend to bend you over that table in a few hours.
The heat in my cheeks spread down my breasts, my body warming to the idea of his touch. You assume you’ve won.
I know I have, he replied, leaning against the counter and holding my gaze. And you know I have, too.
He was right.
I knew he’d won as well.
If I were honest, I’d say he won before all of this had started. He always considered every angle and outcome before engaging in a challenge, and I’d never seen him lose. Not even to Titus when they dueled. At best, they would call it a draw.
That’s why Exos didn’t get mad; he already knew you were going to win.
Yes, Cyrus agreed. But also, he knew Lance didn’t mean it. Getting mad at him would only worsen the issue, not fix it.
That’s pretty much what Exos said, I replied.
That doesn’t surprise me at all, little queen.
It didn’t surprise me either. Cyrus and Exos were a lot alike. Not just because they were brothers, but because they were both kings. It required a certain amount of patience and understanding to act as the conduits for their elements.
I relaxed into Sol’s side as my mates cleaned up in the kitchen.
Then I waited as they presented their dishes.
Vox didn’t have one because he’d tossed it into the trash.
Titus gave me an omelet with all my favorite ingredients—I shared it with everyone else for the taste test, and the others agreed it was well done.
Then Exos and Cyrus presented their leafy casserole. It reminded me of a shepherd’s pie without the meat.
No one commented on the fact that they’d worked together on it, mostly because it was a demonstration of our future. We had to work as a team. It was the best way to raise our future child.
No. Not child. Children.
Because seeing them all now, I realized I wanted more than one. I needed to have them all. One for every element. I felt the truth of it deep inside—the desire to create as much life as we could.
Perhaps not right away, but over time.
And I would start with Cyrus.
Everyone agreed that he’d won. He didn’t gloat so much as accept the responsibility with pride. Then he gazed meaningfully at me, and the others left the room.
Not my mates, but the observers.
I barely felt them leave, my focus entirely on my water mate and the intentions warming the air between us.
“It’s Halloween, Claire,” he said, prowling toward me. “How do you want to celebrate?”