The Power Of Persuasion

“They are back, daughter.”

Neeve grinned at her mother and put down the scroll she’d been studying. “That’s great and just in time, too. If it’s okay with you, I’ll go down and meet Mac at the first gate.”

“I’d rather you waited until he reached the secured compound.”

Neeve rose. “Sure.”

Her mother gave her the Oracle’s benign smile. “Thank you for not arguing with me, First Daughter.”

“I’m trying not to, Gisele.” Neeve came around and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’m glad you noticed.”

“May I make a suggestion, Neeve?”

Neeve paused. “It depends on what it is.”

“Don’t rush to make judgments. Listen carefully to all the evidence and make your decision based on the truth of the situation, rather than how it first appears.”

“What’s that? The Oracle quote for the day?”

“Just something to think about.”

Neeve waved and headed out of the library. Since reuniting with her mother and sisters she’d found herself becoming more forgiving of their ways and far more understanding of the burden her mother was under to provide spiritual guidance for an entire nation who worshipped her as a god. Three years away from Pavlovan had helped her appreciate the stability of her planet. She still didn’t want to take the job, but at least she had mended matters with her family.

If she could only convince her mother to allow her far more suitable sister Reyna to become the next Oracle, her life would be awesome. Keeping her shields high so that she could surprise Mac, she walked down the seven levels to the much less public secure entrance to the temple’s private apartments.

The low hum of voices caught her attention and she slowed on the curve of the spiral staircase. Was that Mac? Who was he conversing with so urgently? A wave of tangled emotions shot through her mind and she instinctively raised her shields even higher.

It was Mac, but whom was he talking to?

She peeked around the corner and caught a flash of long fair hair and then a hand wrapped around the person’s neck pulling them back out of sight. Hardly daring to breathe, Neeve crept closer, but there was nothing more to hear only the sense of complex emotions flying through the air, of defeat, of despair, of longing…

Mac came around the corner, his expression distraught and pulled up short at the sight of her.

“Neeve!”

She stayed where she was, arms folded over her chest.

He started toward her. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“So I gathered. Who was that?”

His shields slammed down. “Who was what?”

“That person you were talking to?”

He shoved a hand through his damp hair. “I can’t tell you.”

“You’re my mate.”

“And I owe you an apology.” He hesitated. “Can we talk about this somewhere else?”

She turned on her heel and went back up the stairs until she reached their suite of rooms. Leaving the door open for him, she went inside and stationed herself in the middle of the floor. Mac came in, shut the door behind him and dropped his backpack on the floor.

“Spill.” Neeve snapped.

He straightened and looked her in the eye. “As I said, I owe you an apology. I forgot that I was on a different planet and that the cultural expectations here aren’t the same as on Earth. I inadvertently created a situation where I hurt another Pavlovan.”

“What the heeze does that mean? Did you sleep with another female?”

He blinked at her. “No, of course not.”

She finally remembered how to breathe. “Good. So what did you do?”

He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Nothing that will ever happen again. I know this is asking a lot of you, Neeve, but could we leave it at that?” He lowered his shields and opened his mind to her. “I’m the one to blame for everything. The other Pavlovan didn’t do anything that wasn’t perfectly acceptable in your culture.”

Her hands curled into fists. Gods, she was jealous…Were Pavlovans able to feel that way? Perhaps only about their mates.

Remembering her mother’s advice to breathe deeply and consider before she became all judgey, she thought about what she’d asked Mac to accept about her planet, and how hard he’d tried to adapt for her sake. She’d made it a condition of their mating that he consent to be in a threesome maybe even with another male. Could she accept that his decision to stay with her had led him into an encounter with a Pavlovan who wouldn’t have understood that Mac wasn’t used to their ways?

“Was this Pavlovan mated?” She hated herself, but she had to ask.

“I don’t know.” He frowned. “How would I know that?”

“Did you sense any other connections?”

“No.”

“Did you have to tell this Pavlovan about me, or were they aware that I existed?”

“They knew you existed.”

“Then they were probably not mated to another.” She let out her breath. “I don’t like it, Mac. I know that after all my preaching to you I shouldn’t care, but I don’t like the thought of you sharing anything with anyone but me.”

He almost cracked a smile. “You sound just like I used to before I met you.” He came toward her, his hand outstretched. “Will you forgive me? I fucked up, I regret hurting you more than I can say.”

She let him gather her into his arms and laid her cheek against his chest. He smelled of the outside with a hint of the minerals from the springs. She inhaled again and wrapped one arm around his neck.

“Take me to bed.”

He placed his fingers under her chin and made her look at him. “You’re okay about this? I swear, I’ll tell you—”

She blocked his words with her mouth and with a groan; he picked her up in his arms and took her into the bedroom.

Several hours later, she woke up and leaving Mac to sleep, she dressed in a silk robe and headed out onto the balcony. She almost screeched when a green shadow detached itself from the foliage beside the security wall and bowed.

“First Daughter. I didn’t mean to startle you. The Oracle ordered us to secure your suite.”

She placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart and nodded. “It’s okay. You’re one of the Hakron, aren’t you?”

“Yes, First Daughter. My name is Ungar. I am honored to be one of your First Male’s bodyguards.”

He had long brown hair with three small braids on each side of his face and warm hazel eyes.

“It’s good to meet you, Ungar.”

“We will be patrolling the balcony area every night while you and the Oracle are in residence. Ulluiao is stationed by the Oracle’s suite.”

“Did you say Willow?”

He paused. “Your First Male could not pronounce the name properly and that’s what he chose to call him. Ulluiao is the head of our unit. Do you know him?”

“My mother mentioned him. How did the trip go?”

“Ian Mac found it hard to keep up at first, but he proved a worthy companion. He was not too proud to share the workload even though he was exhausted.”

“That sounds just like him.” Neeve strolled further away from the windows and Ungar followed. “Did you stop in any of the villages?”

“Only to get supplies on the way back. We had to stay an extra day at the hot springs so that your mate could complete his ‘biotech’ repairs.” Ungar smiled. “On the return journey we met up with two parties traveling to worship at the temple. Word has spread of your joining. They were all eager to meet your First Male.”

Neeve nodded. So the person that Mac had been talking to at the security gate had either come back with him, or had been in the temple all along. Not that she cared. She was beyond that now. Perhaps it was one of the temple visitors who would be leaving fairly soon, and had merely thought to celebrate their pilgrimage with some sexual excess by propositioning the Oracle’s daughter’s male.

Her male…

But Mac had placed the blame squarely on himself. She let out a breath and studied the calmness of the night sky. This jealousy thing wasn’t pretty. She felt like a hypocrite. She had to let go of what had happened, give Mac the benefit of the doubt and move on. He deserved her trust.

“Did my First Male make particular friends with any of the females you met?”

Ungar’s smile was slow to come and full of quiet humor. “No, First Daughter, he did not. He spoke only of his love and regard for you.”

“Good.” Neeve smiled back at the bodyguard. “Thank you.”

He hesitated. “If you wish to learn more about how the journey, you should speak to Ulluiao. He and your First Male spent much time together.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks Ungar.”

“You are most welcome. Good night, First Daughter.”

He bowed and faded back into the shadows and Neeve hesitated. Ungar had said Willow was just along the balcony. She wasn’t ready to go back to sleep yet, so she might as well go and make his acquaintance.

She turned to her right and walked along the side of the private quarters and around the corner to where her mother had her suite.

“First Daughter.”

She nodded at the blond-haired man who guarded her mother’s door. He exuded a sense of calm resolution that she envied and something deeper, something he instantly concealed behind the intricacies of his complex telepathic shields.

“You are Willow?”

He bowed. “Yes, First Daughter.”

“May I speak to you for a moment?”

“Of course. How may I help you?”

She took the seat he held out for her. “I was wondering how your trip with my First Male went.”

His fingers tightened around the shaft of his spear. “Did he speak of me?”

“No, not at all.”

“Ah.”

“It’s just that Ungar said you spent the most time with Mac, and I wondered if he seemed okay.”

He frowned. “I am not familiar with that last word, First Daughter. What does it mean?”

“Okay? It means all right. I must have picked it up on Earth. I meant was Mac behaving normally?”

“Apart from being fatigued, I would imagine he was behaving perfectly normally for a human.”

“Did he offend you?”

His smile seemed forced. “Not at all, First Daughter. He is an honorable, man who will remain loyal to you.”

She glanced down at her hands. “He didn’t seem interested in any other females, did he?”

“No, First Daughter.” His voice was gentle. “Why would you even think that?”

“Because I’m an idiot?” She rose to her feet before she started bawling. “Thanks. It was nice to meet you.”

He went as if to touch her and then drew back his hand. “The pleasure was all mine. I have longed for this moment for my entire life.”

She stared into his eyes and couldn’t look away. “Willow…”

He was the first to break contact. “You do not need to worry about anything, First Daughter. Ian Mac will never give you cause to doubt him, I swear it on the Gods of Pavlovan.”

“You have the sight?”

His smile was wry. “In this case, I think you might say that I have. Good night, First Daughter.”

“Good night, Willow.”

Neeve retraced her steps and returned to bed. She wasn’t proud of herself for snooping, but at least she felt a little better about what might have occurred. As she climbed into bed, Mac reached for her and enfolded her in his arms.

Of course, if she really wanted to know the truth, all she had to do was ask the Oracle…

Neeve buried her face against Mac’s chest. That was not going to happen. She also had a sensation that if her mother had wanted her to know about what went on, she would’ve already told her. So it couldn’t be bad…could it?

Mac woke up with a headache and found Neeve had already gone. His sleep had been troubled by dreams of Willow walking away again. What the hell was wrong with him? Even as his bodyguards had said their goodbyes and dispersed at the gate the day before, he’d grabbed hold of Willow and hugged him hard, aware of the light kiss dropped on his head and the gentle words of forgiveness and regret flowing from his companion.

And then Neeve had come around the corner and stopped him doing something stupid like chasing after Willow and begging him not to leave him…

So much for his ice-cool status as a killing machine. He was a fucking emotional wreck who should never have been allowed off Earth.

“Come down to breakfast when you are ready, First Male.”

The Oracle’s sweet but demanding voice came into his head and he leapt out of bed as if she was standing over him. He intended to politely ask Neeve’s mother when it would be convenient for them to return to the capital city, citing concern for his men as his reason for their departure. But that wouldn’t be for at least three days. Neeve was due to go into her mating cycle.

He took a very fast shower, dressed in his favorite uniform of a black T-shirt and military issue khaki pants and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. To his surprise, the Oracle, or as she’d asked him to call her, Gisele, sat alone at the table drinking some kind of juice and nibbling at chunks of tropical fruit.

“Ah, Ian, come in and have something to eat.”

He took the chair opposite hers and was immediately surrounded by servers who set his usual breakfast of juice, coffee, fruit and odd-shaped doughnuts in front of him. There was also a Pavlovan version of bacon and eggs, but he couldn’t get over the sight of blue yolks and green fat to try it. The servers disappeared as quickly as they had arrived.

“Where’s Neeve?”

The Oracle finished her juice. “She’s in my study trying to complete the task I allotted her before she goes into her mating cycle.”

“Then I suppose I should expect to meet up with her in our suite.”

“Yes, I should imagine so.” Gisele wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I will select a third for you.”

Mac lowered his fork. “Is that necessary?”

“It is not a reflection on you or your stamina, Ian. You will need help if you are to keep the First Daughter satisfied.”

“If you insist.”

“I do. My daughter’s happiness is very important to me.” She paused. “Which is why I was concerned when she seemed a little distraught this morning.

“Distraught?”

Gisele fixed him with her direct blue gaze. “Yes. She thinks you cheated on her with a Pavlovan female.”

“I’ve already told her that I didn’t, and, with all due respect, I’m not sure why she involved you in this matter.”

“She wanted me to tell her the truth. I can, you know.” She paused. “But I’d much rather she heard it from you.”

“I didn’t fuck anyone.”

“You penetrated Willow with your fingers and worked his cock until he came. Does that not count because he is a man?”

“Of course it counts.” Mac exhaled. “I’ve already apologized for that, too.”

“To whom?”

“To both of them.”

“As the mother of your mate and the Oracle, might I suggest that you tell Neeve the truth?”

“She accepted my apology. She said everything was fine.”

“Which is why she asked me to tell her exactly what had happened. She might think that she has no right to chastise you because Pavlovan society wouldn’t, but inside, she is unhappy and such things can ruin even a telepathic relationship.” She paused. “I’m sure you don’t want that to happen.”

“No, Oracle.” Mac said as politely as he could.

“Good.” Gisele smiled. “Now, finish your breakfast. You will need all your strength to serve my daughter.”

Neeve paced the balcony of her and Mac’s suite, and wondered where the hell he was. Someone was blocking his thoughts from her, and the only person powerful enough to do that to a mated couple was her mother.

That could never be good. It made her scared, and she hated being scared.

A tap on the door made her go back inside and fling open the door.

“Mac, where the heeze have you—”

“First Daughter.” A Hakron male with long fair hair and light green skin bowed low to her. “I am Ulluiao. We met last night. The Oracle sent me to aid your First Male.”

“Willow?”

His smile was sweet. “Yes.”

“Come in.”

She opened the door wide and stepped back, her gaze fixed on his face. He exuded such a sense of calm that she almost felt dizzy. Without thinking, she pushed the door shut and stroked a hand down over his cheek. His mouth quirked up at the corner, and she paused to circle the dimple it revealed. With a sigh, he dropped the barriers that had prevented her seeing into his mind the previous night.

“Do you wish me to undress, First Daughter?”

Blushing she snatched her hand back. “Not yet, Willow. We’d better wait for Mac to arrive. I’m not sure if he’s going to go for this.”

His fingers closed over hers, and he brought them to his lips and kissed them. Lust roared through her and her knees almost buckled.

“Who the heeze are you?” she whispered.

“I am yours.” He sank down onto his knees and bowed his head. “You know this.”

She found herself nodding as his mind reached out to hers again and they blended seamlessly together. This could not be happening so fast, this could not be happening at all. Mac was going to…

Neeve shivered as he pressed his mouth to her mound and inhaled. “You’re wet for me First Daughter.”

Her fingers crept into his hair and held him still. He didn’t try and do anything, but stayed there, his mouth pressed to her mound, the rise and fall of his breathing as calm as his thoughts.

“Mother, if you have Mac there send him back immediately!”

Her mother’s laughter echoed in her head. “You like Willow, don’t you?”

“Like him? I want to strip him naked and eat him up.”

“Then do so.”

“I can’t. Mac won’t—”

“Let Mac make that decision for himself. He’s already on his way back to you.”

Neeve released the block on her mind and the essence of Willow, of everything he was, and everything he might mean to her swamped her anew. This was the kind of meeting of minds that she and her sisters had giggled about in Pavlovan romances. This was freking unbelievable. There was nowhere to hide herself from him, no chance of him not finding her. Gods…He rubbed his mouth against the thin cotton of her long t-shirt, unerringly finding the edge of her panties beneath and ran his teeth along the top.

This time her knees really did buckle. She caught his shoulder and held on.

“Neeve?”

She looked up as Mac came through the door and went still. His gaze falling to the man who knelt in front of her.

“Willow?” He croaked.

“Yes, Ian Mac. The Oracle sent me.”

Neeve waited as Mac walked over and stood beside her, one arm around her waist. His gaze dropped to the hard points of her nipples sticking out from her t-shirt and he inhaled the scent of her arousal that perfumed the air.

“Do you want him, Neeve?”

“Yes. Do you mind?”

Mac shook his head. “How could I?”

“Because I’m being such a hypocrite, berating you for touching someone and ten seconds later willing to leap into bed with a second man.”

“But this is Willow.”

“Yes, it is. Does that make it better for you? That you know him? Can you work with me on this just for the next three days?”

He bent to kiss her throat. “Yes.”

She realized she might be babbling, but couldn’t seem to stop as the essence of the two males surrounded her sending her hormones wild. “We can worry about the rest of it later, okay?”

He bit her neck. “Yes. Stop worrying.” He slid his hand higher to cup her breast and then pinch her nipple. “Let’s take this off you.”

She held her arms up as he pulled her t-shirt over her head, leaving her in just her panties. Still on his knees in front of her, Willow made an appreciative sound and leaned in to nuzzle her.

“May I have your permission to pleasure her, First Male?”

Neeve held her breath as Mac looked down at Willow and then sighed. “Go ahead. I…want to see you with her.”

“I wish to serve you both, First Male.”

Neeve gasped as Willow gently sucked her clit through her cotton panties until it was throbbing in time to her ragged heartbeat.

“Take them off her.” Mac said.

Willow slid her panties down her legs and she stepped out of them, her bare ass now pressed against the hard ridge of Mac’s cock as he stood behind her watching over her shoulder.

“Ah, First Daughter, you are beautiful.” Willow’s reverent voice echoed inside her head.

“Use your mouth on her, make her come.”

“It will be my pleasure.”

The first lick of Willow’s tongue against her bare flesh made her whimper with need and Mac groan. She tried to widen her stance, leaning back against Mac until Willow took her right foot and placed it carefully on his left shoulder opening her sex to him. He dipped his head and licked her lavishly like an ice cream, his mouth lingering on her clit, his teeth tugging at her already swollen pussy lips.

She didn’t need to tell him what she liked, or what she loved, with the connection so strong between them, he just knew…

Mac’s hands closed around her breasts, his fingers and thumbs tightening and twisting her nipples in time to Willow’s sucking. The intense pleasure overwhelmed her and she climaxed gripping Mac’s upper arm and Willow’s hair and hanging on for dear life.

“Bed.” Mac commanded.

He picked her up and walked through to their bedroom, Willow behind him. After placing her on top of the sheets, Mac stripped out of his clothes and climbed up next to her. Willow waited, his hands at his sides, his gaze switching between her and Mac.

Neeve patted the space on the other side of her. “Come here.”

“Yes, First Daughter.” Willow hesitated. “Do you wish me to disrobe?”

“God, yes.” Neeve breathed. “If that’s okay with you, Mac.”

Willow smiled. “Ian Mac has seen me naked before. We swam together at the hot springs.”

He started to remove his loose white shirt and pants and Neeve forgot to breathe as his superbly fit body emerged. He ran a hand over his already thick shaft spreading the gathering pre-cum. She wanted that cock, wanted it in her fast.

Reaching forward, she caught his shaft in her hand and drew him as near to the side of the bed as she could manage. As soon as he was standing close enough, she leaned over and started to suck him into her mouth. Behind her, Mac groaned as she gradually took more and more, fighting her impulse to gag at Willow’s impressive thickness and length.

As she sucked, she shared the sensation with both men. Mac came up behind her and shoved his cock deep in her cunt and held her down over him with one hand wrapped around her hips. The throb of his cock inside her mimicked the pulse of Willow’s far down her throat. She tried to move on Mac, but he wouldn’t allow it, filling her as completely as Willow was.

It was only when she started to slide her mouth up and down Willow’s shaft that Mac allowed her to do the same to his cock. The two men worked together helping her slide between their lengths, their bodies protecting and restraining her as she grew more adventurous.

With a groan, Mac started to pump into her, pushing her onto Willow’s cock until all she could do was just take him down her throat and suck as hard as she could. Mac’s come shot inside her and Willow came too, his hand still gentle in her hair despite the fierceness of his climax and the intensity of his pleasure.

For a long moment, they all stayed in place and then both men eased themselves free of her and Willow climbed up onto the bed and collapsed next to her.

“That was…wonderful, First Daughter.”

She reached out a languid hand and patted his head. “Please call me Neeve.”

“If you permit, First Male.”

“It’s not up to me. Neeve’s in charge here. And call me Mac or Ian Mac.”

Willow sat up and looked at them both. His hair had come loose from its braid and hung over his shoulder “This is our first time together. I wished to enjoy the formality of the joining.”

Neeve grinned at him. “That was formal? I’d hate to see us when we get wild.” She shivered as both men responded to her words and both cocks stirred. With them both so focused on her pleasure, Mac might find it easier than he’d expected to accept a stranger in their bed. He’d managed it with Kaiden, but then she hadn’t reacted to Kaiden in quite the same way. Had he sensed that yet? She doubted she’d be able to hide anything from him soon.

“May I?”

Mac crawled between her legs and pushed her knees wide apart. He pressed both thumbs to her clit and then slid them through her wetness inside, spreading her wide and making her buck against his hand. Willow moved to her side and sucked and played with her nipples until she started to come again, thrashing against the sheets as Mac added more fingers to his plunging, curling thumbs.

“I want…” She just managed to gasp out the words.

Mac smiled at Neeve, all too aware of her desires and the extraordinary presence of Willow at his side. “You want more cock?” He glanced over at Willow and licked his lips. “She’s ready for you.”

Willow raised his silver gaze to Mac’s. “And I want her, which is how it should be, aye?”

Mac nodded and moved out of the way so that Willow could take his place between Neeve’s thighs. He realized he was holding his breath as Willow slowly eased forward into Neeve, his buttocks flexing as he rocked back and forth and gradually impaled her on his impressively thick cock.

He felt them both in his mind, Willow’s careful thrusts and Neeve’s gasps as he kept filling her and widening her until she was stuffed full of cock and then he kept pressing deeper.

Willow paused, breathing hard. Mac could still see at least two inches of Willow’s cock still unsheathed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I want all of you. Please.”

Neeve tilted her hips and took another inch and started to come allowing Willow to finally fit himself fully inside her. Mac imagined he was being filled like that. Could a man take another man that deep and hard? Would he want to?

“I’d fit, Ian Mac, do not worry. I’d have you begging for me to fill you.” Willow’s lust-filled voice echoed through Mac’s head and his cock jerked.

Willow drew back and started to undulate his hips, his cock pistoning in and out of Neeve in long slow strokes that made her whimper and climax again and again. Mac could only watch helplessly as Willow shared the experience with him He gripped his own cock. Neeve flung out her hand and grabbed his shaft too, clutching him almost to the point of pain, and working him in time to Willow’s thrusts.

“Gods…” Willow shoved deep one last time, and came, his back arched and his whole body shaking with the effort, his hand braced on the bed to stop himself from falling forward onto Neeve. He eased himself free and rolled onto his back his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. Mac lay on Neeve’s other side, one hand cupping her mound the other across her waist as she relaxed between them. His fingers grazed Willow’s hip and he left his hand there, strangely connected to them both.

If he tried to work out what was going on, he might spoil this miraculous moment of having Neeve and Willow in bed with him. It was like having all his fantasies in one place. If three days were all he would have with them both, he’d take it.

After a while, Neeve’s hand closed around his cock and started to rub him. Looking over her body he realized she was doing the same thing to Willow. Careful not to dislodge her working hand, he knelt up and leaned down toward her sex. Willow did the same and he was able to watch Neeve’s hand on the other man before they both dipped their heads and set about licking and sucking Neeve to a climax.

His tongue swept over Neeve’s already swollen clit and he tasted all three of them, which made him even harder. Willow murmured something and then his tongue tangled with Mac’s as they both penetrated her cunt.

“Wait.” Neeve said.

Mac froze, thinking for a second she was going to call him out for touching Willow, but she was struggling to sit up, her hands still wrapped around their cocks.

“I want to try something.”

She urged them closer until their knees touched her hips and brought their cocks as close together as she could working them in unison. Mac abandoned his attempt to use his mouth on her and finger fucked her instead as Willow did the same. They were all pressed so tightly together that he couldn’t even see what he was doing and was grateful for the psychic feedback which showed how close Neeve was to coming for them. And it was for them. He and Willow were working perfectly together to give Neeve pleasure.

And she was working them hard…God, he wanted to climax, wanted to watch his and Willow’s come explode out of their cocks, dripping down over Neeve’s fingers. Even as he thought it, he got his wish and it was even better than he’d imagined it would be, even better than when Kaiden had been their third…

Willow gasped and dug his fingers into Mac’s shoulder as he kept on coming, his mind enveloping Mac’s and Neeve’s in the enormity of his pleasure. As soon as Neeve released his cock, Mac returned to her cunt and used his fingers and his mouth to bring his female to another climax. Willow took his place and did the same thing until Neeve was screaming their names.

Willow crouched between Neeve’s thighs and Mac absently stroked his hand over the other man’s ass, admiring the taut muscle and the flex of his hips. Neeve finally went still and seemed to fall asleep for a moment. Mac knew it wouldn’t be long before she needed them again, so he took the opportunity to go to the bathroom and wash.

Willow followed him in and used the second sink to rinse off, his green skin shining like a pearl with exertion. After he washed, Mac went hunting for some fresh towels and threw one over to his companion.

“Thank you.” Willow met his gaze in the mirror. “Do you mind me being here, First Male?”

“No.”

“Good.” His slow smile made Mac stare hard at him. “I am honored to service you both.”

Mac took the three steps that brought him across to Willow. “You don’t have to serve me.”

“You don’t wish to fuck me?” Willow shook his head. “You are lying to yourself.”

“Our job is to be here for Neeve.”

“And due to our combined efforts, she is asleep now, and would not begrudge either of us the opportunity to fuck each other.”

“She doesn’t know—”

Willow opened his eyes wide. “That you’ve already touched me?” He stroked his half-hard cock. “Had you hand on my cock and your fingers in my ass?” With a sigh, he shook his head. “Of course you haven’t told her. I mean nothing to you, do I?” He went to push past Mac. “I need to get back to my First Female.”

“Wait.” Mac put his hand on Willow’s shoulder.

“For what, Ian Mac? For you to give me a chance to fully share this joining with both of you? I suspect I will be waiting a very long time for that invitation.”

“For me to apologize.” Mac met Willow’s frustrated gaze. “I’m struggling here.”

Willow’s half-smiled and lowered his telepathic shields. “I’m not sure what is wrong with me, either. I never expected to get this opportunity.” He shook his head. “And now I’m complaining about it not fulfilling all my fantasies when I am only here to serve and more than willing to do so.”

Mac moved his hand and pinched Willow’s nipple hard. “Don’t undervalue yourself.” His cock stirred and he was so close to the other man that he could feel Willow’s excitement, too. Reaching between them he gripped Willow’s cock and pressed it against his own. The bolt of pure lust that shot through them both made him almost bite his tongue.

This was way out of his comfort zone, and yet if anyone apart from Neeve had told him to stop at that moment, he would’ve growled at them to stand down. Touching Willow like this felt right in a way it hadn’t felt even with Kaiden.

“Sit up here.”

Willow braced his hands on the countertop and sat on it and Mac returned his attention to the other man’s cock, rubbing it hard and watching the pre-cum at the tip gather and roll down to lubricate his fingers. The only sound was Willow’s harried breathing and the slick slide of his own pumping fingers.

Adjusting his grip, Mac slid his wet thumb downward over Willow’s tight balls and the soft skin of his taint. Willow moved closer to the edge of the countertop arching his hips so that Mac could reach.

“Soap?”

Willow leaned back and placed the dish of homemade soap by his thigh. Mac scooped up a finger full of the soft goop and circled Willow’s arsehole.

“Please, Ian Mac.”

Mac didn’t reply, his attention all on the inward plunge of his finger inside Willow’s arse.

“Gods…”

Willow’s pleasure and anticipation resonated through Mac’s mind making him want to move faster, harder, to own the other man in a way that he’d never even considered owning Kaiden.

“I am yours already, Ian Mac.”

He glanced up from his plunging finger to find Willow staring at him, his pupils almost dilated black with lust and need.

“I want to fuck you,” Mac added another finger and worked Willow hard. “I want my cock in you.”

With a stifled sound, Willow brought his feet up and set them on the countertop opening himself as wide as he could to Ian Mac’s fingers.

“More, give me more. Give me your cock.”

He waited as Ian Mac slathered his cock in the soap and leaned forward, one hand wrapped around the base of his shaft as he sought Willow’s puckered hole. Letting out his breath, he tried to relax as he was penetrated.

“God…” Ian Mac breathed hard in his mind. “You’re so tight.”

“Just fuck me, please, just—” Willow groaned out loud, the sound echoing through the bathroom as Ian Mac took him at his word and with a series of quick thrusts buried himself deep inside Willow.

Willow braced himself against Ian Mac’s shoulder as the other man started to pound into him, both of their gazes directed downward toward the amazing sight of Ian Mac’s cock fucking him hard.

“Hold my cock.” Willow begged.

Ian Mac obliged and pumped him in time to the movement of his hips. Red hot colors flashed behind Willow’s eyes and he sent the sensations out to Ian Mac and received them back. He’d never felt like this before. It was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. The heat between them seemed to be forming a bond, an unbreakable tie that couldn’t be possible when his lover only saw him as a temporary mate to satisfy his female for three days.

A blur of movement at the door to the bathroom had Willow opening his eyes and looking over Mac’s shoulder to where a naked Neeve stood watching them. When she caught his eye, she strolled over and ran a hand over Ian Mac’s flexing buttock.

“Very nice, First Male. You two make a pretty picture.”

To Willow’s dismay, Ian Mac stopped moving. His cock was still buried deep inside Willow but his mind slammed shut. It was like being cut off from oxygen.

“Neeve, I—”

Neeve came closer and grabbed Ian Mac’s chin. “There’s no need to apologize. Willow and I are Pavlovan. We understand these things, don’t we, Willow?”

Willow could barely nod, the sensation of being shut out was still too painful. Neeve’s expression gentled as she turned to him, and kissed him on the lips.

“You are beautiful together. Thank you for sharing yourself with him, Willow, even though he probably doesn’t deserve it.”

He wanted to say the right thing, the gracious thing, but for the first time in his life, the conventional words, the calmness at the center of his soul had deserted him. He could only stare into her eyes. Her gaze darkened and she slid her hand down to his cock.

“If you’re done, Mac, go and shower. I’ll make sure Willow is taken care of.”

“I’m…not done.” Ian Mac rolled his hips sending another load of sensation trembling through Willow. “Will you stay and watch?”

“I’d love to, and then we can all shower and start again.” Neeve placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “I want to see you both come.”

And then it was easier to simply align his mind and thoughts with his female and allow his body to take Ian Mac’s cock and bring him to a fast climax. He felt the heat of his lover’s come deep inside him and let himself come too, his seed pouring out over Ian Mac’s fingers until he had nothing left to give.

Neeve sighed and kissed them both. “That was awesome. Now let’s shower because I need some attention too.”

Willow waited until Ian Mac disengaged and then slid off the countertop. His knees were shaking from being spread so wide and his ass was sore from the pounding Ian Mac had given him, but he would find the good in it. He would appreciate how much he had already been given and not yearn for more. The Oracle’s prophecies could be interpreted in many different ways, so perhaps this was the best he could hope for.

He glanced over at Neeve and then more covertly at Ian Mac as they stepped into the shower. He’d already been given so much. He was a fool to have expected to have everything.

“Willow?”

Neeve beckoned to him, her smile welcoming. All Pavlovan threesomes worked differently. He would focus his attention on his female and be thankful that she at least seemed to want him unreservedly.