Immortally Theirs (3 page)

“I’m going to come,” she cried out, prompting them to quicken their movements until the orgasm tore through her like a storm. As she bellowed a string of lust-filled obscenities, Armand circled her clit wildly with his thumb and Bastian smacked her ass. The shuddering and jerking of her body stimulated her further, causing everything to vibrate and bring her right to the edge of a third climax. In a daze, she worked her body with them, desperate to have them come at the same time she did.

“Speed up,” she moaned.

Her body buzzed while the vampires cursed between thrusts. Wide-eyed, she watched them turn into human fucking machines. Taking her with short, quick bursts until their curses turned into grunts. She watched Armand’s face twist up into a half-pained expression and then smile. To her relief, both he and Bastian climaxed. It took only one more circle of her clit and she unleashed one hell of an orgasm. Once again, they’d satisfied her and then some.

Bastian withdrew his cock and slunk to the floor, pulling her along with him.

She lay sandwiched between their sweat-slicked bodies, watching the glow from the fire cast shadows along the ceiling.
Shayla
wanted things to stay the way they were.

For their strong, chiseled bodies to anchor hers.

For their deep, sensuous voices to whisper seductive words.

To bring her to one earth shattering climax after another.

To fill her with a confidence that didn’t exist without them.

This was her heaven.
Her paradise.

It would have been easier had she never fallen for them, but it didn’t make her decision easier to think that way. Her love for them grew stronger each day. In their
arms
she found the ultimate happiness.

Shayla
tilted her chin to catch a glimpse of Armand only to
be met
with an impish smile. When she turned to look at Bastian, he wore the exact same expression.

“Are you any closer to a decision, my sweet,” Armand asked.

“No,” she moaned and covered her eyes.

Damn them both. How could they ask her that after what they just shared? Were a few moments
spent
wrapped in a cloud-nine sandwich too much to ask for?

“That’s all right,” Armand soothed. “You’ve still got time. But I bet I can make the decision easier.”

The knot in her stomach returned. “Please don’t try.”

“But love, our only desire is to make you happy. Once Bastian leaves, I can show you what I mean.”

“No,” she said through clenched teeth.

“No?”

“That’s right,” she snapped. “I said no. Right now I want to be left alone.”

Armand faced her and propped up onto his elbow. “But I always stay until you fall asleep.”

She pushed him to his back and sat up, arms folded. “There’s little chance of sleep happening if you stay, thank you very much. How can I possibly relax? I have an important decision to make by tomorrow night, and your one-upmanship comments haven’t helped.”

Armand flashed a wounded look and trailed his fingers along her arm. Goose bumps dusted her flesh. Mad as she was, he still had a hold over her. How in the hell could she live without his touch?

“Then I’ll leave you to your rest.
Until tomorrow evening, my love.”
His lips captured hers and his hot breath whooshed into her lungs.

Armand rose and scooped up his clothes. He stopped at the doorway and blew her a kiss.

Frustrated, she put her hand up in a block position. When she lowered her hand, he had gone.

Now to deal with the other one.

Bastian smirked. “I know you’ll choose me, so I’ll not brood the way he does. How about I give you a massage to help ease the tension?”

At this rate, she was so tense it would take a miracle to loosen her muscles. “Wonderful as it sounds, and it does sound wonderful, I meant it when I said I wanted to be alone. Thanks all the same.”

“Of course.”
His lips pressed against hers and lingered long enough for heat to fill her belly.

He broke the kiss and stood. “Sleep well. Rest those mesmerizing eyes of yours.”

“Night,” she murmured.

Damn. Currents of pleasure raced through her body and hit every nerve ending like some crazed pinball machine. She couldn’t live without his touch either. Together they made her sizzle in all the right places. She craved both of them. She needed both of them.

A chill quickly swept over her flesh with the departure of their bodies. She rose from the floor and climbed into bed. The bulky blankets were
a far cry
from two hard bodies, and not nearly warm enough.

Shayla
tried to get comfortable, but restlessness proved that difficult. The tears that she’d held back for much of the evening finally made their way down her cheeks and along the satin pillowcase. How could she possibly choose one over the other?

Chapter Two

Armand had been reluctant to leave, noting the deep crease along
Shayla’s
forehead. He didn’t like the way he’d left things. He understood her decision wasn’t an easy one, but it was necessary. From the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, he’d been possessive of her. With a single look, she managed to set his body on fire, and aroused him from the dead sleep he’d spent centuries in. She was breathtaking with her long jet-black hair and cobalt blue eyes. Her curvaceous figure reminded him of an hourglass. Her breasts were perfect and soft. Her hips and ass sent his mouth watering. Every sweet inch of her body
was made
for loving, touching, caressing, and devouring. Armand knew her blood would taste like the most luscious cream he’d ever had. But until she declared her to be his, and only his, he’d never bite her. He didn’t want her to have a single moment of doubt or regret.

In the beginning he’d come to the manor looking for a new home for his coven, the Black Thorns. He heard it
was abandoned and thought it perfect
. Only he found it
wasn’t abandoned
after all. He found
Shayla
. She was everything and more than what he looked for in a partner. He wanted to find a way to make her smile every day. Bring her pleasure and help take away the sadness she seemed to cling
to
. He watched her for weeks, learning her routine, mannerisms, and studying her habits.

Before he had a chance to introduce himself, another vampire approached her. The one he would come to know as Bastian, part of the
Manzanita
coven.
Sworn enemies.
Right
away
he despised him and his rough exterior, but he couldn’t ignore the way
Shayla
took to him. Armand knew he had to take action and make his presence known or risk losing her.

After weeks of brooding, he called a private meeting with Bastian where they expressed their mutual feelings for her. Together they came to the conclusion that they both loved her and wanted nothing more than to treat her well. While neither wanted to give her up, her selection of her eternal mate would have to be solely her decision. He wanted nothing more than to slay Bastian, but he worried it would break
Shayla’s
heart and he’d never know if she would have chosen him. He and Bastian agreed to a one-year pact.
To put up with one another for her and not destroy each other.
Once she’d made her choice, the other would leave and never make contact again.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. He didn’t realize how unhappy it would make her. He could see that it troubled her and he didn’t know how to make it better.

Unsure of what to do, he sulked about from room to room. If only he could help make the decision easier on her.
Shayla’s
pleasure was all that mattered to him.

* * * *

Bastian paced the downstairs foyer. It had been a long year and soon he’d have
Shayla
as his own. He didn’t hate Armand.
Much.
How could he when they both wanted the same things for a woman they loved? But his affections were more than that of fairy tales. He didn’t need poetry and literature to motivate his feelings for her. He loved her.
Plain and simple.
He’d die for her.
Battle
for her.
Go to any lengths necessary for her. And once she became his wife, he’d protect her with fierce determination. Of course, he could’ve had her all to himself early on, but he cared too much to manipulate her thoughts or emotions.
Even if it meant victory over Armand.

He wished to make her decision less daunting. Seeing her distraught
over
their request to choose racked him with guilt. Not enough to step back and let Armand have her, but guilt nonetheless. He never expected to meet a woman who would have him so enraptured he’d spend a year trying to convince her to have him. When he took Armand out of the picture, it was time well spent.

Bastian felt the need to check on her to see if she’d fallen asleep. Though she tried to hide it, he’d seen her eyes brimming with tears, and it left him with a heavy heart.

He turned to go up the stairs when he noticed Armand standing on the last step wearing a smug expression.

“Don’t you have better things to do,” he snapped.

“Not really,” Armand mused. “Not when I’m so close to being crowned the victor.”

Irritation racked his body. “You’re clueless, you know that?”

His rival furrowed his brows.
“How so?”

“You haven’t any better idea who she’ll choose than I do. You might think your words sound confident, but I hear them for what they really are.”

“Enlighten me.”

“They’re nothing more than words of self doubt. And it makes you sound
fake
.”

“I gather you’re an expert?”

Bastian shook his head. “If I’m an expert, it’s only because I’m doing the same damn thing.”

“You’ve lost me.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“Prick.”

This wasn’t helping. Bastian regained his composure. “Sorry. Look, we share the same goal. We both want
Shayla
to be happy. You’ve seen how upset she gets when we fight over her, how it tears her apart. It’s clear that we’re going about this the wrong way.”

Armand crossed his arms.
“How so?”

“By bickering with one another we’re showing our weaknesses, not our strengths,” he explained. “She needs to know that her choice is the right one. She needs to know she
’ll be protected and taken care of by a strong, commanding husband
. At this point why would she choose either one of us?”

Bastian waited for his rival to process his words.

“Hmm.
What you’re saying makes sense. Do you propose another way to sway her mind?”

“I do as a matter of fact. It will require putting our differences aside and working together. Are you up for a challenge?”

Armand nodded.
“Always.”

“Good. Then here’s what we’re going to do.”

Chapter Three

Shayla
opened her eyes and breathed a heavy sigh. The day she’d been dreading was finally here. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, though she hardly felt rested. Her sleep
had been riddled
with disturbing nightmares with themes of loneliness.
Dreams where she’d been an older woman without anyone to console her.
Without anyone to love her.
Dreams of collapsing in the middle of a desert thousands of miles from civilization, alone and scared. She blamed
the damn decision and how it invaded every aspect of her life
. It was debilitating. Why couldn’t they understand that she loved them both?

She considered lounging around feeling sorry for herself, but it was late in the morning, and too many things reminded her of Armand and Bastian. Their heady masculine smells lingered on the sheets, pillowcases, and all over her. None of it helped.

Restless, she stood and slipped into a silk robe, the lightweight fabric cool against her skin. A bath sounded like the perfect thing to loosen the knots in her neck and stomach. Still half asleep, she shuffled into the bathroom and turned on the water. The tub was large and made of porcelain with brass claw feet.
A perfect escape.
With the water running, she disrobed and stood before the mirror. More wrinkles than a year ago. Her body was soft, though she didn’t mind. Curves had always been her thing. They made her feel womanly. Exercise hadn’t ever been a task she aspired to do. Climbing the stairs was about the extent of it.

When the water reached the right temperature, she added half a bottle of bubble bath and slipped inside. At
once
it helped soothe her.