“Oh, you want him for yourself, eh?” Finn asked. “Well get in line. In case you haven't noticed, half the citadel is trying to get in Ember's pants.”
“It's because his ass is so plump,” someone said.
“It's because his ass hasn't been broken in by us yet,” someone else called out.
“Oh, fuck off, all of you,” Finn said. “It's because he's pretty. Just look at that face. And he's also the first normal-sized man to move in here. I'm tired of fucking someone as big as me.” He winked at me, then said, “I want to be able to throw my lover around.”
“Yes, exactly!” another Lord said. “Half the time, fucking another Lord feels more like wrestling than sex.”
“How much do you weigh, Ember?” Keltyr asked. “I'll bet it's less than one-fifty. I could do bicep curls with you . . . over my dick.”
Several Lords hooted and called out other things they could do with a lover like me.
I took the ribaldry well now that I knew them and recognized their bawdy teasing for what it was—affection and acceptance. But that didn't mean I couldn't fire back. Quite the opposite; I had to say something.
“What the fuck, guys?” I lifted my arms to emphasize my incredulity. “You go from congratulating me to sexually harassing me? Now none of you are getting my plump ass. And, for your information, Finn, this isn't just a pretty face. I also have dick-sucking lips.”
The whole room cheered, whooped, and generally celebrated my response. Not for the words—which were an impressive retort, if I do say so myself—but for the fact that I was playing with them. Taking their teasing in the way intended and shooting some right back at them. I was fitting in, and it felt wonderful.
“Oh, you want to see harassment?” Finn—a gorgeous Makhon with raven black wings and a pair of the greenest eyes I've ever seen—got up and sauntered over to me. “I can harass and congratulate you all at once.” He pulled me to my feet and yanked me into an embrace. Pausing for just a second to see if I'd protest, he grinned, then laid one on me. The kiss was hot enough to curl my toes, and when I opened my eyes, I found us enclosed in a cocoon of feathers.
“And you're a good kisser too,” Finn said with a smirk.
“I'm, uh . . .” I stared up at him in a daze.
With a laugh, Finn folded back his wings, then declared, “Definitely dick-sucking lips!”
The room cheered again, even those in relationships or straight. It was just a bit of fun, and that's what they were cheering for, not my lips.
“Let him go,” Rath growled as he stood up.
“I'm just teasing him, Rath,” Finn said. “Relax.”
“You need to have more respect for the man who's going to help us win this war.”
“Whoa. Easy now.” Finn let me go and stepped back. “I respect him. I'm just being friendly.”
“Don't.”
The room went quiet.
I laughed as brightly as I could. “You're so funny, Rath.” I slapped Finn's shoulder. “He's just messing with you.”
“Oh.” Finn's expression went from baffled to relieved. “Damn it, Rath. You had me going.” Then he slapped my ass and said, “Congratulations, Ember. You're making us all proud.” As he walked away, he added, “But come by my room any time you want to finish what we started.”
I gave Rath a pointed glare, and he sat down as I did. “What the fuck was that?” I whispered to him.
“I didn't want you to be disrespected again,” Rath said as if it were obvious.
“They were just teasing. Fuck, Rath. I'm trying to make friends here. You almost ruined it for me.”
“Sorry.” He frowned. “I . . . I'm still a little on edge about the restaurant.”
“It's all right. I get it, and I appreciate you trying to look after me.” I glanced across the aisle and saw Xaedren watching me. “And you're not the only one on edge.”
Xaedren scowled and went back to eating.
Chapter Seventeen
