“I suppose if we’re being honest,” Takashi grumbled. Roger’s throat closed, but Takashi leaned around him to catch Zack’s gaze. “Nell had a copy of your journal. I read the bulk of it before I ever met you.”
Zack leapt up from the bed and circled to face Takashi. “What thefuck?”
Takashi stood and met Zack’s glare. He tilted his head toward Roger. “As he said, our kind is mired in ploys and treachery. I had to know what sort of man had tied himself to Roger. I’m … well, I’m not sorry. And since you can’t read my emotions to understand, let me give you a secret instead. Roger was the first man I ever kissed. My first lover.”
Roger blinked. He hadn’t known that.
“So I’m the one invading,” Zack murmured and dropped his gaze to his navel.
Takashi tucked a finger under Zack’s chin and nudged him to look up again. “I meant it when I said Roger isn’t the only one I want. You are extraordinary.”
The impulses that had been subdued while Roger spoke renewed. Holding on to Zack’s hand, Roger could feel lust sparked and humming in him again.
Zack bit his bottom lip, shifted his weight from one leg to the other, and squirmed as he continued to meet Takashi’s gaze. The glares were gone, forgotten, and in their stead, warmth and yearning were reflected in Zack’s steel gray eyes. Takashi smiled, and Roger was drawn into the beauty of how such a simple gesture could transform the man’s face into perfection.
“Oh, screw it,” Zack muttered. He lunged forward, wrapped an arm around Takashi’s shoulders, and pulled him in for a deep kiss.
And there they picked up in their explorations. No residual anger at Roger tainted their desires. He did his best to keep from plunging into their emotions, but he couldn’t help scanning the surface desires once more. Zack and Takashi only cared to feel good. They longed to escape through pleasure without a hint of wanting to punish Roger.
After their long kiss, Zack straddled Roger and kissed him. His lips were flush, his skin warm, and his tongue danced between Roger’s fangs. Takashi took the opportunity to finish undressing before he climbed onto the bed behind Roger. Against Roger’s skin, his touch was warm, but only a candle to the flame heat of Zack. Takashi’s hands were calloused. Vampirism hadn’t entirely smoothed the roughness he’d gained as a mortal trapeze artist.
Zack ended the kiss, breaking off with a panting breath, and Takashi pulled Roger backward into another. Roger moaned as he sank back against the bed, Takashi’s mouth quickly meeting his again. Zack slid off his lap and worked to pull off the rest of his clothing. Then, they were three naked men in a king-sized bed.
Yet a cold, hard pearl in Roger’s gut remained. He caught Takashi in a long kiss, marveled at how quick Zack was to sprawl against him, and every movement was a caress against his lovers. He delved his tongue between Zack’s lips and then watched Zack lick and explore Takashi’s chest while practically lying on top of him.
The weight of him became a restraint, and Roger slipped out from under him. Takashi frowned at him, but his cheeks were flushed.
The desire and want in the air was thick, and Roger drew it into himself. He had ignored that pearl of fear for centuries, and it had no place in his love life. With his lovers, he would find solid ground to stand on.
He couldn’t let this moment be tainted.
He reached for Takashi and rolled him onto his back. The glimmer of joy in Takashi’s deep blue eyes eased the pearl deeper into the depths, and Roger spent a long moment gazing at them. Zack kissed his shoulder, and so Roger kissed Zack, then Takashi. His cock grew hard, and need chased the fears back to their deep shadows.
Takashi caressed his back, fingers tracing down his ass. “I have missed the feel of you.” Then, he tugged, and Roger nudged against his hole.
“Eager,” Roger chided. When he started to reach for the lube, Zack already had some spread on his fingers. Grinning, he moved aside, spreading Takashi’s legs wider, and guided Zack’shand down between Takashi’s legs. He kissed Zack’s cheek as Zack began to work a finger in.
Takashi arched with a moan. “Fuck, I forgot how warm a mortal is in there.”
“His fingers aren’t his only warmth,” Roger purred.
“I thought you wanted to do him,” Zack said.
Roger nuzzled Zack’s neck. He spread a little lube on his fingers and eased one into Takashi beside Zack’s. “We’ll both fit if we’re careful.”
“Screw careful,” Takashi whined.
Zack laughed gently. “He got needy fast.”
“This isn’t needy yet,” Roger chuckled. He pushed his finger deeper and rubbed, finding the place inside that made Takashi shudder with a moan.
With a wicked grin, Zack wrapped his hand around Takashi’s hard cock. He slowly stroked Takashi’s length. Before Takashi could complain, Roger kissed him.
As much as lust pooled inside Roger and flowed out from Zack and Takashi, they continued to explore and prod and caress. Roger sprawled onto his back and coaxed Takashi to straddle him. They shared a spine-tingling kiss as Zack guided Roger’s cock toward Takashi’s hole. Takashi pushed down, and Roger moaned at the tight grip around his dick.
And then Zack was joining him, working his way in, and his cock rubbed against Roger’s. He was all heat, and the air was pungent with coppery mortal scent. His breath came in quick pants, and his heart raced.
Roger took his hand and kissed the palm. Their gazes locked.
