Tapestries 04 - Threads of Destiny (16 page)

No matter what happened, he would stay by her side because he loved her. There was no denying his feelings. He would kill any man who threatened her. He would even face down a sorceress to keep her by his side. But he would not deny her right to choose. Still, even if she picked one of the other men or decided to return to her own time, he wanted to be part of her life. Unlike Christina, whom he knew he could live without, he now understood that there was no other woman for him but Kathryn.

“Marc?” He could hear the question in her voice as he carried her though the door of the castle and up the staircase. The stone was solid beneath him but he felt as if he were on uneven ground. The next few hours would decide his fate.

“All will be well,” he promised. “Trust me.” Logan and Tienan were close behind him, listening to every word. And why not? Their fate was to be decided as well.

“I do,” she whispered, resting her head against his shoulder. His cock jerked, pressing hard against his leather pants, a physical reminder of precisely how much he needed the woman in his arms.

He carried her down the hallway and into his room. If he only had this night with her, then he wanted her in his bed, spread across his sheets. His arms tightened possessively around her for a fraction of a second before he made himself relax as he crossed the threshold.

Logan went straight to the fireplace and lit the kindling. The flames crackled as they caught the wood. Tienan closed the door and went around the room, lighting all the candles. The light flickered against the walls. It wasn’t dark yet but the room was dim.

The candles and firelight would allow them to see Kathryn more clearly as they made love to her.

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As much as he wanted to continue holding her, Marc slowly released her legs until she was standing. When he was certain she was steady, he backed away to stand beside the other two men.

“You know the laws of this land?”

“I do.” She crossed her arms across her chest. She appeared tired and fragile and just looking at her hurt his heart. But this had to be done.

“You came with two men and they have a prior claim to you.”

“But they don’t want me. Not like that.” Her eyes widened as her gaze went to her friends. Marc could tell that she didn’t really believe the words she was speaking.

“Yes, we do.” Tienan spoke up, his voice thick with need. “We’ve always wanted you, Kathryn.”

She swallowed and the delicate column of her neck rippled. He wanted to kiss the vein that pulsed there. To distract himself, he unbuckled his sword belt and laid it carefully aside.

“You’re an incredibly brave and beautiful woman.” Logan never took his eyes from her as he stripped off his sword and placed it on the table.

“I don’t understand.” Kathryn took a step back, bringing her one step closer to the large bed behind her.

“It is simple.” Marc released the armbands encircling his upper arms and tossed them aside. “We all want you but only one of us can be your husband. If you will allow us, we will pleasure you, so you will be able to chose which one of us you want.”

“This is crazy.” Her words were little more than a breathy sigh but Marc could see the excitement and growing desire in her eyes. She parted her lips, licking them. The sight of her pink tongue darting out of her mouth made his balls draw up tight against his body.

“This is perfectly natural and accepted here. You are not in your world, Kathryn.

You are in mine.” He felt that the only resistance to the idea was because it was not acceptable on her planet. He’d learned much from Christina about Earth and, though they were from different times, the basic accepted sexual practices did not seem to differ greatly.

“Let us touch you.” Logan slid his vest off and let it fall to the floor.

Tienan moved fluidly to her other side, his white bandage stark against his swarthy skin. “I want to taste your lips, your mouth and your moist pussy.” Kathryn’s mouth fell open and her breathing quickened. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, accentuating the sway of her breasts and the fact that her nipples were hard buds, outlined by the fabric of her tunic.

“Let us pleasure you.” Marc stepped in front of her, so close they were almost touching. Her breasts grazed his chest with each breath she took. He stripped off his vest and tossed it aside. “Let me have you,” he murmured as he leaned toward her, nuzzling her jawline.

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He placed tender kisses along the curve of her neck before twirling his tongue along the delicate shell of her ear. “Let me fuck you.” He was desperate now, his body throbbing, his soul crying for release that only she could give him. He kept his arms straight by his sides and his hands fisted to keep from grabbing her, tossing her on the bed, stripping her and driving his cock into her waiting heat. He wanted to pound into her body until they both shattered and yelled their release.

“Kathryn.” He breathed her name and held still as he awaited her decision.

Kathryn could barely breathe, let alone think. Her mind was still reeling from everything that had just happened. Magic did exist and so did the sorceress—an ageless, powerful entity that had given her the gift of freedom and choice. But with choice came responsibility and Kathryn knew that, whatever decision she made, there would be consequences she’d have to live with for the rest of her life.

Even as she’d denied it, she’d known that all three men wanted her. She’d known that Tienan and Logan had both wanted her for a while now but she’d avoided the issue because it just wasn’t possible. At least not in her world. But here…here everything was different.

When Marc breathed her name, she could hear the longing and the need in his voice and it matched the emptiness, the yearning that existed within her. Every nerve ending in her body was alive, thrumming with anticipation. She’d already made her decision. All she had to do was open her mouth and say the words.

She could sense the masculine impatience in the air and knew that most of it was coming from Logan. The man practically vibrated with emotional energy. Tienan was quieter as he awaited her decision but she could almost hear his mind working, calculating his odds of success. But Marc…Marc was stoic, ready to accept whatever choice she made without question.

It really was her decision. And that made all the difference.

“Yes.” Her voice seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet of the room. “Yes,” she said again, this time more softly, as she looked at the three very different men standing in front of her. She needed to make sense of her chaotic thoughts and feelings, had to know once and for all how Logan and Tienan fit into her life. Was it possible to love three men at once? She didn’t think so, at least not with the same degree of emotion.

Tonight was about pleasure—hers and theirs. After all the death and destruction, she wanted to feel alive. It was also about giving, about opening herself emotionally to test the depth of her feelings for each man. They were all willing to give of themselves freely. She could do no less.

Kathryn knew this could end badly. She swallowed back the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Logan’s and Tienan’s friendship. It was all that had gotten her through many long, lonely years. Then there was Marc. What she felt for him was so new but went so deep. She owed it to herself and to him to explore their burgeoning relationship.

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The corners of Marc’s mouth turned up in a smile so breathtakingly beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. The way he looked at her made her heart race. He made her feel special and sexy, as if she were the only woman in the world who could satisfy him.

And maybe she was. The tapestry had a magic all its own that couldn’t be denied.

She blinked to clear her vision and glanced at Tienan and Logan. They were both staring at her as if they were starving and she was lunch. A fresh gush of moisture pooled between her thighs and she shifted from one foot to the other, not quite knowing what to do next. This wasn’t a situation she’d been in before. A snort of nervous laughter escaped her. Now that was an understatement.

Marc reached behind her and pulled the tail of her braid over her shoulder. He pulled the leather cord from the end and began to unwind her hair. Slowly, he combed his fingers through the long red tresses, watching as the bottoms of the strands curled slightly around his hand.

“Beautiful.” The tips of his fingers massaged her scalp before easing through the mass of her hair one final time. “Like fire. I’ve dreamed of it spread across my pillow while my cock is buried inside your heat.”

Her pussy clenched and released at his provocative words. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe but there didn’t seem to be enough air left in the room. She could picture the scene perfectly. Could see his large body over hers as his hips flexed and he pumped his cock into her over and over again.

She jerked, her eyes popping open when cool air hit her stomach. Marc had her tunic halfway up her body. “Lift your arms.”

She swallowed hard. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that she could barely hear him. Her arms inched upward as if totally independent of her will. It wasn’t a conscious decision but an automatic one.

He pulled the garment over her head and let it fall from his fingers. Her bra was next. Marc reached behind her and unhooked the flimsy covering, tossing it aside. She was naked from the waist up with only her hair to cover her chest. She glanced down at her chest only to find her hardened nipples peeking out from between several thick locks.

Tienan and Logan stepped up beside Marc, one on either side. Now she had all three men looking at her breasts. She curled her toes in her shoes. Her nerve endings quivered, her sheath dampened and the slick folds thickened as blood pooled between her thighs, preparing her for what was to come.

It was Tienan who reached out first, the tip of his forefinger tracing the edges of her nipple before stroking over the nub. Her breath caught in her throat and she began to shake. The adrenaline from the fight and all that had happened crashed down on her at once. Her legs began to quiver and it climbed over her torso and down her arms until she couldn’t stop.

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Logan’s arm went around her shoulders and she leaned into him, needing his support and comfort. Marc wasted no time in unlacing her pants and tugging both them and her underwear over her thighs and down her legs. “Lift.” She picked up her left foot and then her right as Marc tugged off her pants, underwear and shoes, leaving her naked in front of them. She shuddered violently and Logan lifted her against him as Tienan pulled back the furs on the bed.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Even her teeth were chattering. Logan placed her carefully in the center of the gigantic bed.

“Fear, adrenaline, sexual need—it’s all churning together inside you.” Marc had stripped off what was left of his clothing, unbound his hair and now joined her. The mattress dipped slightly as he pulled her into his arms, running his hands over her back and shoulders and down her arms. His heat was a strong lure and she snuggled against him, burying her nose in the light dusting of hair on his chest. Even sweaty from fighting, he smelled good. He had an earthy smell of male sweat, the crisp air, leather and musk. His cock was almost hot against her belly and she could feel the pulse of it like a heartbeat. The shivers subsided and a different kind of energy filled her, leaving her restless and aching.

The covers swished and she knew that Tienan and Logan had joined them. A hand stroked down her spine and she arched like a cat. Male laughter, soft and satisfied, filled the air as the hand dipped lower to stroke her bottom.

Clever fingers slid into the crease, making her jump as the tip of one finger circled the tight puckered entrance of her behind.

She glanced over her shoulder. Tienan grinned at her as he pushed his hand deeper.

His fingers brushed over her slick folds and she sucked in a breath, her nails digging into Marc’s biceps.

Logan settled higher on the bed, watching. He leaned down and brushed a kiss on her nape before sliding his hand over her shoulder and around front to cup her breast.

“Let us pleasure you, Kathryn.”

She’d never heard him say her name like that before, filled with such yearning. She turned back to Marc, needing to gauge his reaction. Uncertainty filled her. What the heck was she doing?

As if sensing her unease, Marc stroked his fingers down the side of her face. “Let us give you what you need.”

She swallowed heavily and nodded. She’d made her decision, but more than that, she knew that if she didn’t do this, she’d have regrets for the rest of her life. From the first moment she’d read Christina’s story, she’d been filled with curiosity and a rising desire to know what it felt like to be loved by more than one man at once. This was her opportunity. This was her time. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? Tonight nothing else mattered but the four of them in this room together.

Capturing Marc’s face in her hands, she tugged him down until their mouths were touching. Parting her lips, she offered him everything she was, giving him permission 88

to do whatever he would. She trusted him. She trusted all three of them. In her own way, she loved all three, but deep down, she was afraid that Marc owned her heart, body and soul.

Shoving aside those thoughts, she concentrated on their kiss. Tonight was all about pleasure. Tomorrow she would deal with the consequences.

Their tongues touched and twined together as Marc angled her face and deepened the contact. He tasted masculine and wild and she couldn’t get enough of him. When he finally released her, she licked her lips, wanting to capture his unique flavor, wanting to remember it always, no matter what happened.

He eased her onto her back and started to shift aside. She grabbed his hand. “Don’t leave me.” She wanted Marc beside her, needed the connection with him. He gave her the courage to reach out to the other two men who waited.

“I won’t,” he assured her, bringing her fingers to his lips. The moist warmth of his mouth caressed each knuckle in turn before he placed a kiss in the center of her palm.