He stalked toward the bed like a predator. A chill ran up my spine as I saw the raw power in his eyes. He could kill me and drain my body of blood. He could snap my neck and leave me anywhere. He reached the end of the bed and the look on his face became more lustful, less predatory. My spine tingled again, this time in anticipation.
I got to my knees and crawled to the edge of the bed, then looked up at him and smiled. “I guess it is that easy.” My fingers trailed the collar of his Black Sabbath t-shirt.Eh. Who cares at this point?“May I please take this off?” I asked, sweet as syrup.
His eyes bored into mine as he lifted his arms for me to draw his shirt over his head. Once his chest was bare, he took my hands and lifted them above my head. Once he’d removed my shirt, he stared. I shifted, picturing the toll breastfeeding two children took on my once pert breasts. They didn’t exactly sag, but they were definitely not the breasts of my youth. I swallowed my insecurities and focused on the planes of his torso instead.
I flattened my hand on his chest, giving a slight massage so I could feel the power in the muscles there. Before, when life was good and I felt frisky, I’d signal Michael by rubbing his chest with a firm hand.
Tears sprang to my eyes as guilt overwhelmed me. Michael was truly, officially dead, and I hadn’t even waited three days after receiving the news before jumping into bed with another man.Two other men. Two.
I used my hands on his chest to push Elias away. “I can’t. Michael popped into my head, and I feel like the worst person in the world for sleeping with someone else. I only just found out he was dead.” I snatched my shirt up and jerked it on. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to tease.”
“You didn’t tease me. I can handle being turned on. You’re grieving, and there is no right or wrong way to do that. One thing I can promise you is that Michael wouldn't be upset at the thought of you being comforted, even if it’s through sex—especially if Anthony or I were the ones doing the comforting.”
My butt bounced off the bed as I sat back. “Why especially you or Anthony? Wouldn’t Michael view that as more of a betrayal?”
“In the Supay culture, it’s quite common for more than one man to share the love of a single woman. As long as I can remember, it's been a regular way of life. I’m sure it began with the rarity of Supay women, since we're forbidden from falling in love with humans. It gives us a way to have a long-term relationship with a woman.”
Elias sat beside me on the bed and drew me onto his lap. “We’ve been talking about marrying the same woman for over sixty years. That was always our plan. Once we were grown, we were going to set out to meet and woo the Supay women of the world, until we found our mate. But then, Michael found you and disappeared. We spent the years afterward sort of, well, messing around with human women.”
Why does that make me jealous?My gut clenched, and I made sure my feelings didn’t show on my face.
“Once we decided to start to look for someone Anthony and I could build a life with, without Michael, he was killed, and the children were taken. We’ve secretly looked after you ever since, and in doing so, discovered the woman we want to love.” Elias buried his face in my neck and nuzzled my hair.
My head rested on his shoulder as I contemplated the staggering information he’d given me. Michael had wanted to share a wife with his best friends. What in the world did he see in me to be willing to sacrifice his family and friends, his plans, to hide and spend only a part of his life with me? I couldn’t be enough to pull a man away from his entire world.
“This is cozy.” Anthony’s voice made me squeak and jump so hard I fell onto the bed, out of Elias's lap. I laughed at Anthony’s confused face and collapsed flat.
“It’s been an emotional morning, Anthony,” I said. “So, are you in love with me?” He looked startled for a moment then glared at Elias.
“I care enough to commit my life to yours, and that must mean some aspect of love.” He contemplated his words. “I’d be devastated if you died, and I can picture us together over the coming centuries. I believe I have the beginnings of love for you, yes.”
I sat up and turned to Elias. “And you, do you love me?”
Elias replied instantly and with abandon. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. I will follow you to hell and do everything in my power to protect you.” He grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. “I’ll be loyal to you until you die, and I’ll never leave you willingly. You’d have to convince me that you never wanted to lay eyes on me again—and then I’d still watch over you, but you wouldn't see me.”
He couldn’t have surprised me more if he’d revealed he was actually a vampire.Ha! Been there, done that, and still reeling.I knew he cared, but that—that was the sort of declaration little girls dream about.
Anthony sat on the end of the bed. “My Coya, we didn't want to bombard you with our feelings. When we decided it was time for you to meet me, we wanted to make you think I was investigating Michael’s disappearance so we could tell you he was dead. We wanted to watch over you and know you, but slowly, with the least pain possible.” He grabbed my other hand in both of his and stroked it. “But you see how that went. And here we are. We care for and love you. Until you are ready to process that, we need not speak of it again.”
I pulled my hands away and placed them in my lap, twisting them nervously. “You’re right, I’m not ready to process that. I’m still trying to come to terms with Michael, that he’s…” I couldn’t say it. I looked at Elias. “But I want you to understand that I do care about you a great deal, and I appreciate your help more than I could ever find words to say.”
Turning to Anthony I continued. “I’m beginning to care for you as well. Time will tell if that grows.”
Anthony leaned over and collapsed on top of me in a hug, knocking me into Elias, who wrapped his arms around both of us. I giggled in between them. “I won’t say no to moreout of this worldsex again. Though, maybe not right now. We need to get this show on the road, and it’s too much to handle yet.”
I’m not sure if I’m ready for you to love me, but you sure can have me any time. Sheesh, Riley. You’re really pouring the gasoline on those panties.
Anthony let me push him off so we could get busy packing. He explained that the SUV had hidden compartments so we could hide the guns and blood to get across the border. I made them stick me and draw my blood. Apparently, like all Supay, the guys had gone through basic phlebotomy after math class.
I’d discovered in my research that the human body would replenish up to 450mL of blood every twenty-four hours. Until they ran out of bagged blood, I would let them draw from me daily to sustain as much of a supply as we could.
While blood dripped into a bag beside me, the guys gathered supplies, as well as the cash and weapons. Our clothes were still packed from the trip down, and in a little over an hour, we were ready to go.
Chapter 8
We traveled south from the house in Alice, Texas and soon found ourselves in Pharr, just north of the Mexican border. Conversation was sparse with all of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. I sat behind the two gorgeous men and studied their profiles. They were beautiful men, and I was struck again with a series of “Why me?” questions. I hoped one day I’d be able to get past my insecurities.
We stopped for a bathroom break and to get coffees. It amused me to watch my two big, strong vampires order mocha frappes.
