“No.I’m just a realist.Embrace the uniqueness of our connection,” Marc advised.“If you don’t, it will probably drive you nuts.”
“Isn’t that like a threesome?If you fuck El and I watch?Or, I guess, vice versa?”
Marc shrugged.“It’s a mate bond.There are no other names for it outside that.”
Shawn pursed his lips.“Has no Triad in history ever fucked one another?”
“Technically, no.They’re not supposed to.But technically, humans aren’t supposed to either, are they?But they do.We just never have.”He rubbed his chin.“I think Angel and his Triad fuck.Could be wrong though.”
“So, they’re bi?”
Marc rolled his eyes.“Want me to walk through all the different sexualities out there?Look, I can understand why you want to make everything fit in this particular pigeonhole, but you can’t.We’re different.Not just because of what we can do, because that changes us integrally.But in ways humans can’t even begin to comprehend.
“So, if Angel fucks his Triad, to humans that makes him gay.To us, that means he’s just really into his Triad brothers.”He shrugged his lack of concern.“I don’t give a fuck who he fucks as long as he leaves me the hell alone.Before they find their mate, he might fuck both men and women, but when they meet the one, it will become exclusive.No more messing around.”
“With each other too?”
Marc pulled a face.“I highly doubt it.Truth is, I think a lot of mates wish Triads were bi.”His grin was wicked.“It gives them a break after all.”
Shawn snorted, and for the first time felt he could relax a little.Marc was so frank, so at ease with this fucked up situation, and because he wasn’t, dealing with someone who was helped a lot.“Yeah, I can see why they’d like a rest.”He wrinkled his nose.“She’s going to be sore for a while.I can count on one hand how many times she’s had sex this year.”
“You counted?”
At Marc’s bemused look, Shawn just shrugged.“Not intentionally.I just had to vet each guy, and hell, I was in the same apartment when it happened.Not that it did often.”
Marc rubbed his chin.“We probably need to be gentle with her.”
“Might be wise.”Shawn sighed.“I can’t believe I’m talking to you about this and not wincing.That’s definitely a step up from yesterday.”
“Take each day as it comes,” Marc advised with a small smile.“That’s all any of us can do, right?”
Chapter 17
"Persia?"
"Maryellen?Where.The.Hell.Are.You?"
El swallowed thickly.What did she say to that?Persia's concern echoed down the line, filling Ellen with both regret and warmth.
She'd always kept herself apart from other people.Even though she considered some friends, she never let herself become too close to them.Trusting people wasn't something she was capable of doing, because she'd been taught from birth that not even family could be relied upon.
"El?"Persia's voice was a screech."Are you still with that guy from the dating site?"
Lifting a shaky hand, El covered her eyes.She was crouched on the floor, her back to the side of the bed, her position defensive with her vision aimed at the door.
Not that she had to protect herself from anybody in this house.
Oh no, that lesson she learned as a child, that family couldn't be trusted?Yeah, that lesson had been hammered into her today.
Croakily, she whispered, "I'm fine."
Persia scoffed."Yeah, you really sound it.Where have you been?I've been worried sick."
"I'm sorry I haven't been answering your calls, and I know I said I would, but things have been just…" They'd been what?Questionable?Impossible?Para-freaking-normal?
"Just tell me you're okay."
"I-I am, but it's just… I have learned some things, and I really don't know what to do about them."
