Silent Storm

Pacific Passion - 3

by

Vivian Arend

Darling Kate. You make me happy, even though the miles seem to pop up between us as if cast by some twisted magical curse. Nano-cruise has an eternal place in my heart, along with your smile and your sheer enthusiasm for the horseshoes I’ve found.

You’re a special, special lady. Write your heart out.

Chapter One

All around her, towering mountains descended sharply into the sparkling waters of the Pacific. Their ragged surfaces were torn as if a giant hand had grabbed desperate snatches from the earth, leaving behind nothing but thin air and harsh ridges of granite exposed to the brilliant August sun. Along the waterline, where the tide’s highest marks had ripped and torn the land, sun-bleached logs lay in tangled heaps, the exposed roots of massive cedars now tormented remains of once majestic trees.

The world kept changing. It was inevitable.

Laurin Marshall guided her kayak along the inlet, letting the crisp morning air fill her lungs, seeking a moment’s respite from her internal turmoil. Her mind was filled with images, emotions, and uncertain longings. Two years had passed since she’d deserted her mountain clan to find a place among the water shifters known as the People of the Sea. Only a couple months ago her life had been radically transformed again.

She dipped one side of the double paddle, then the other, moving her arms in a smooth, even rhythm. Trying to let the pace of her heart and the motion of the routine soothe her aching soul.

There were so many things she loved about this life. The water, the proximity to the coastal mountain ranges. The way the water reflected the emotion of the seasons in the colors filling the seemingly endless sky.

She couldn’t get enough of the beauty before her. So different, and in some ways raw and stark, compared to the Rockies where she’d grown up. Oh, the mountains of her home reached even higher to the sky, and when she flew, shifted into one of the forms of the People of the Air, it seemed there was nothing between her and the stars. But here, the ocean spoke to her. It had a voice and a song—poles apart from the wind in the pine trees or the flutter of a breeze against a mountain lake.

The sea was vibrant and alive, and she’d fallen totally in love with it.

Laurin paused in her paddling, letting the kayak drift as she rested out of the wind in a small bay. Around her a pod of dolphins surfaced, a couple of the younger ones sliding cheekily alongside her craft, their pectoral fins slapping the water beside the gunwales and splashing her. She laughed aloud and held up a hand to ward off the worst of the attack.

The matriarch of the group surfaced and sang out, and Laurin wished again she could understand what she was saying. The female, with her beautiful smile, dipped her head then submerged, the rest of the pod following. An immature male rose one final time into the air, twisting and landing beside the kayak. Laurin was instantly drenched.

She had to smile. The sea and her people were amazing, even though she’d never been so waterlogged in her life. Part of the downside of being partner to the shaman of the Pacific Inside Passage. Laurin picked up her paddle and headed for the thin strip of sand visible just ahead of her. There were dry clothes in the aft compartment, and if she’d read Matt’s note correctly, there should be a relaxing break waiting ahead.

He joined her on the beach. Six feet of brown skin, firm muscles and a grin that was all for her. The neat khaki shorts he wore did nothing but draw her attention to his bare chest and the ridge of his abdominal muscles carving down under the beltline.

“Did you have a good paddle?” Matt pulled the prow of the kayak far up on the sand so she could step out onto solid ground. His thoughtfulness warmed her, even though she scarcely needed to worry about staying dry. He guided her with a steady hand as he helped her from the cockpit. “Laurin, why are you soaked?”

Because your people gave me homage? “Enthusiastic teenager, I think.”

Matt Jentry wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, his even heartbeat under her ear now so familiar and so right, she could barely imagine not having him close by. Somewhere near, to touch, to talk to. She glanced up at his beautiful face, firm cheekbones, strong jawline. She couldn’t imagine never getting to taste him again.

“Well, that’s an intriguing look. You going to share what’s on your mind to go with that enticing expression?” His voice was husky and low, and her need for him blossomed into full desire.

She couldn’t imagine life without his lovemaking either. She reached up and brought their mouths together.

He kissed her softly, placing a series of light bites along her lower lip, dragging the surface into his mouth and letting it go. She explored with her tongue, teasing his lips, his teeth, his tongue. All the while his hands were busy at her buttons, her waistband. Stripping off her clothes, baring her to the elements. She willingly did the same for him, thrilling at the encounter of her fingers against his torso. The slight breeze brushed her skin, and she wondered again at the remote locations he always managed to find. There were no clans close to this inlet, no human eyes to see them naked and entwined.

Matt lifted her in his arms without taking his lips from hers. She closed her eyes and simply soaked in the experience. The warmth of his touch versus the cool of the blanket he lowered her to. The heat of his kisses, now descending to worship her breasts and tease her nipples to tight peaks. The breeze stroked a cold finger over the wet tip and it tightened even more.

He hummed in admiration. “I did have a picnic lunch arranged, but I’m not sure if I have the strength to wait. Are you hungry?”

Laurin stared up at her lover of two months, the man with whom she had a mystical connection they were still trying to figure out. A mental and emotional connection beyond the ordinary—that only grew stronger the longer they were together. “I’m always hungry for you.”

They moved together with an easy rhythm, the first fumbling moments of becoming lovers seemingly far in the past. It was straightforward, but not boring, the passion between them rising fast and staying strong. Whether it was because their magic clicked, or because somehow they truly fit together well, Laurin didn’t know. And at this time, didn’t care to analyze.

She needed him. As always.

Matt pulled her close, stroking his hands down her naked torso. He cupped her butt and slid her over him so they were centered on the blanket. It took him a second to sit upright before pressing her backward slightly to expose her breasts to his attention. His lips fastened around one tip, drawing a string of desire through her entire being, an echoing pulse beginning in her core. Each suckle triggered a responding internal throb, and she moaned, dragging her fingers through his dark hair to hold him close.

Receiving his full attention was a humbling experience. Laurin had never felt this way about previous lovers, had never had a connection that went deeper than the physical pleasure they shared. With Matt, his steamy touch was wrapped up in the layers of emotion she felt from him. It mixed with traces of thoughts that tangled her mind, and there were moments she didn’t know if it was her ideas or his driving her crazy with desire.

Warm skin, wet lips, the hard surface of his shaft between them. Laurin adjusted her legs to kneel on either side of his thighs, her sex covering his rigid erection. She rose and lowered slowly, letting him slip along her core as the moisture from her body coated his cock.

Images of him slipping into her—of the pleasure he felt—rolled back through the strange and powerful link they shared. Combined with the scent of the sea, between the remembrances of the past times they’d made love and this current time, the sensory overload grew almost devastating. It wasn’t simply the touch of his hands massaging her breasts, there was the lingering sensation of his mouth, and an echo of a time in the past when he’d pinched and teased her nipples until she could barely think.

It was lovemaking with layers of memories, and each time it grew more powerful. When Matt grasped her hips and adjusted her so his erection slid into her depths, she wasn’t sure how much of the pleasure was from this occasion and how much from the past.

“Matt…oh. Oh, yes.”

He wrapped one arm around her back and brought their torsos together, pulsing his hips lightly, more a rocking together than a powerful thrusting into her body.

It was still impossible to stop the reaction of her body to him. They fit—and yet…

An undeniable sensation of sadness burst through her. Laurin slammed it behind a mental wall and tried to deny it existed. She stared into his bright blue orbs. He returned her gaze without blinking, the emotion on his face making it impossible to look away.

“Do you see it?” he whispered. He moved their bodies together, with another rock, another slide. “Do you feel it?”

Racing headlong into her climax, tumbling into passion, Laurin trembled. It was more than the delights of joining together, under the heat of the sun and with the wind kissing their skin. Matt opened to her, flooding her mind with images from his viewpoint—the instant spark of interest he always experienced as she flirted with him. The expression on her face as she lay sated beside him.

He poured his reactions into her and Laurin’s breath caught in her throat. Powerful, yes, even overwhelming to comprehend how much he cared for her. How much he thought of her and wanted the best for her.

She wrapped her arms around his back and twisted, pulling him on top. The blanket was cool beneath her back, protecting them from the ravages of the sandy beach. His cock nestled deeper into her body, filling her, teasing all the sensitive places inside. Equally filled, her heart pounded with the realization he kept nothing secret—shared all he thought of her, all she meant to him.

He loved her.

Matt drew his hips back, then pressed into her again. Her body welcomed his advance, slick with need. His lips found hers, and as they kissed, that small part she kept separated from him trembled to be released.

Another kiss landed, this time on her cheek. His voice was raw and deep with his passion. “Do you hear it, Laurin? Do you hear what my body is telling you? What my mind and soul want you to know?”

Oh God. He plunged in again and again, the pace slow and even, her heart pounding faster than his intimate thrusts. She still couldn’t answer, couldn’t…

“Do you understand? I offer you everything, willingly. I’m yours, Laurin.”

Mine—she mouthed the word against his skin. It was easy to see the ways he gave her love, with all the caring and sharing. Every touch of his hand and the quiet of their evenings together—so different but so clear in making her feel the truth of his emotion.

Why was it so hard to let go of her final fear?

Above her, he stilled. They remained connected, his shaft buried deep in her body. Their minds touched, memories swirled, and yet…

“Laurin?”

Tears lashed her eyes and she pushed aside her apprehension. It wasn’t the time to deal with it. It wasn’t the place, and he deserved none of her bitter struggle to mar this moment. She opened the part of her mind she’d been hiding from him, only keeping that one secret place buried deep.

“I see, I feel. I know. Oh, Matt…you are too good to me.”

“Not possible, it’s only what you deserve.”

Moving slowly, now faster. Rocking together, hips connecting and withdrawing. Skin on skin, minds brushing, breasts aching. Heart breaking. Laurin accepted his gift and returned it with everything she could. She shared her fascination with his magic, the way his role as a shaman was not a part of him, but him. The gratitude she felt for his place in her life, his protection, his openness, and most of all his love.

She did love him. Almost frighteningly so. She clutched his shoulders and arched under him, taking him into her body, accepting him into her mind. Flashing into the pleasure of release at the same moment he did, their bodies in tune and one.

They both cried out, Laurin reveling in the delight he always brought her, the physical rightness of being with him. Even as he pulsed within her, his seed filling her, the connection between their bodies remaining, Matt brought their lips together for another earth-shattering kiss. When they finally lay, breathing hard on the blanket, Laurin’s vision was blurred.

“Wow.” The sky spun overhead, continuing aftershocks of pleasure rioting through her system.

He laughed softly, rising up on one elbow to smile down at her. Laurin sighed in contentment, lifting her fingers to trace his jawline. Matt’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “You okay? You seemed to disappear for a minute or two—that’s not good for a guy’s ego.”

Laurin soothed him, kissing his lips tenderly. Opened herself to allow how much she cared for him to wash over them both. “I’m sorry. You know I’m guilty of thinking too hard at times.”

Matt nodded. “If you can analyze a situation from a new direction, you will. Or make some charts.”

“Charts are awesome.”

They grinned at each other. Laurin let a slow sigh of relief escape as Matt rolled away and helped her to her feet without pushing for any further explanation. She needed to deal with her concerns, but postcoital? Her emotions were still too raw. Besides, it really was her issue, not anything that was his fault.

They gathered their scattered clothing with an easy companionship. Matt shook the sand from each item before dressing. Laurin chose to retreat to the kayak to find her dry clothing. Matt pulled out a picnic basket, then proceeded to impress her stomach with his cooking as much as he’d dazzled her body with his lovemaking.

In spite of her attentive companion, and the gorgeous setting, her mind kept wandering back to her dilemma, and as they packed up the remains of the picnic lunch, she realized she couldn’t carry on this way. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

“Matt, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What do you think of me taking a bit of a holiday?”

He took his time to seal the container in his hands before tucking it into a kayak bag. “That depends,” he said slowly. “Are you talking about a holiday from teaching or a holiday from…me?”

Oh damn. One of the troubles with being so intimately connected with a shaman—it was difficult to keep secrets. “My tour of summer schools will be over in a couple weeks. The students who are studying via satellite are on a year-round schedule—they’ll have a semester break then as well, so I’ll have no teaching commitments.”

He nodded, his observant gaze flashing over her. “And me?”

Laurin took a deep breath. She reached out and laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Matt, I think I love you.”

There was a spark in his eyes, but his smile seemed forced. “How come that came out sounding as if it makes you sad?”

She moistened her lips, searching for the right words. Ones that would make this better. Unfortunately, she had no idea what words those would be.

“Laurin.” He held out his hand and she went into his arms eagerly, willing to hide her face against his chest, seeking comfort, wishing she’d never given him any pain. She did love him. She did, that had become crystal clear over the past month.

But was it enough?

“I see you. I don’t think you even know you’re doing it.” Matt lifted her chin until their eyes met. “The way you stare into the sky with such longing. I don’t understand why you avoid flying.”

Her heart ached. “I’m afraid.”

He frowned. “Afraid of the sky? Of shifting? Laurin, there will be no further challenges from anyone who sought you before. You are free from the fears that sent you into hiding two years ago. I swear.”

“It’s not that. I’m afraid that if I fly too often I’ll—” Her words choked to a stop. Could she ever commit to being with him forever? Forsake the mountains of her childhood and all of her family?

Her people?

It had never been an issue until now, not until Matt. She cradled his face tenderly in her palms. “I do love you,” she whispered. “So much it frightens me at times. Not because you frighten me,” she was quick to respond to his intake of breath. “Oh, not because of that. You have become the center of my world, and I love being with you. Seeing you work with the people, seeing you act as a physician and bring healing to people’s lives. But it makes me wonder…”

Matt’s lips were sun-kissed soft against hers. “Makes you wonder if you should be with your own people? The People of the Air?”

Laurin nodded. “My grandfather said I would bring balance—his prophecy so many years ago. It didn’t mean what the men of the tribes thought it would, not with you and I being a couple. We are a couple, Matt. I don’t deny that for an instant. But where does my responsibly to my people end? If I make a complete commitment to you, your place is here, on the Pacific coast. You can’t give up your position, and I would never expect you to.”

“And I don’t want you to feel you have to choose between your nature and our relationship.” He stroked his fingers through her hair. “I had no idea this was bothering you so much. I guess I’m guilty of thinking the mystical connection between us will make our relationship easier.”

Laurin laughed softly. “It does make things more interesting at times, that’s for sure.”

Matt tweaked her nose. “I don’t want to cut off our discussion, but we need to return to the Stormchild. Can we pick this up back at the ship?”

Laurin kissed him as sweetly as she could. “I’m sorry I’ve kept this from you. You’re right, the only way we can figure it out is together.”

She reached for the lifejacket and he held out his hand. “I’ll take care of the kayak. Why don’t you fly home?”

A streak of pleasure hit her. An opportunity to glide on the currents overhead was exactly what she needed right now.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I can tie her on behind my mine.” He laughed, the bright sound dancing around them as she rushed to strip off her clothes. “Besides, any excuse to get you naked is a good one.”

He stroked a finger down her breast and grinned as her nipple responded instantly to his touch.

“Stop that.” She giggled, giddy from excitement. From his touch and anticipation of the flight.

“Why? Can’t you fly when you’re turned on?”

“Oh, I can fly, but if you get me going too much I’m not leaving until you deal with me.” Laurin wiggled her brows and Matt licked his lips in response.

“Not sounding like a threat to me, woman.” He kissed her breathless then set her back on the ground, slapping her bare butt cheek and pushing her forward. “Go. I’ll take care of your needs back in our bed. One session of sandy sex a day is enough.”

Laurin blew him a kiss, bent her knees, then launched herself into the air as she shifted.

She changed into her favorite form, the golden eagle she’d first taken as a child so many years ago. Her magic let her shift to any of the People of the Air, but this was the one that felt the most comfortable. It brought great pleasure to extend her wings to reach another inch, tilting a wing tip to catch the proper angle to rise rapidly into the air. She wheeled to peer down at Matt, already far below. He bowed deeply in respect, and her heart constricted afresh. If she’d been in human form, tears would have filled her eyes.

Matt had given and given, and even now showed how pure his love truly was. She called out his name, her eagle’s tongue tangling the word until all that echoed out was a cry of passion.

He was her mate, but he was not of her people. At ten years old her destiny had been proclaimed, but not explained, and now as she turned to travel the paths of the sky back to the single-masted ship they currently lived on, Laurin wondered just what the final answer would be to her dilemma.

There didn’t seem to be an easy resolution, with her heart torn between fulfilling her responsibilities to the People of the Air, and her unwavering love for the shaman of the People of the Sea.

Chapter Two

“Wait. Did you remember to carry your digits to the top of the equation?” Laurin’s voice floated over to him and Matt smiled. All day, as he’d puttered around the ship and taken care of small tasks, Laurin had been hooked up to Skype and the satellite, checking in with students scattered across the Pacific Inside Passage. The firm control she kept over all of the children amazed him. Her sheer joy in working with them made him even more aware that what she did was important, and he needed to find a way to support her as she carried on.

As they moved forward.

He leaned back on the wheelhouse wall and watched her. A strand of hair had fallen free from her ponytail and dangled over her forehead. Her hands moved animatedly, eyes bright. Enthusiasm painted every part of her.

Her confession yesterday had thrown him. He’d known something was wrong, but as the shaman of the water people, he only had so much ability to sense her emotions. They had a connection that went deeper than the average couple, but that didn’t let him actually read her mind. Only enough to let him sense her unease and confusion. He hated to have made her feel that way.

If it took letting her go back to her people to solve the mystery, he would let her go. Only he would also accompany her, and be there to support her. Somehow surely they could find a way to take the steps that were needed, and take them together. There had to be a solution other than one that made them go their separate ways.

He didn’t want to be without her. The thought of her leaving him forever was enough to make him crazy.

“Matt, is there any more coffee?”

She leaned against him, rubbing her neck, and he reached up to take over the task. “I’ll make a fresh pot. The old one must be like tar by now.”

“I’m sorry, I got caught up in a few things, but the kids at Dufferin Island finished the group project I assigned them, and they all had to show me the pictures they took. I think I looked at every one of their Facebook pages.” She tightened as she stared at her watch in shock. “Oh my, is that really what time it is?”

Matt kissed her forehead before tugging her into the cabin ahead of him. “Yes, that’s what time it is. You want coffee or a glass of wine? Since you completely missed cocktail hour.”

Laurin handed him a wine glass out of one of the tiny cupboards in the galley, and he reached for the bottle willingly.

It was embarrassing she’d lost track of time like that. “I could have sworn we just had breakfast. Why didn’t you tell me I needed to stop?”

“Because you were working, and there was no need. Besides…” he handed her the filled glass, “…if you get it all done today, maybe you can take tomorrow off. We have a few more days before we’re due at the next settlement.”

“I think a day off is definitely in the picture.” She sipped the wine and relaxed back on the corner seat. “There’s not a lot left to do with the students anyway, not until the start of the next semester. And the ones who aren’t on semester break will just work through what programs I’ve set them on. We can take a couple of days.”

He shook his head. “It amazes me how you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Teach so many subjects. How do you get your brain to flip from advanced anatomy to basic math?”

Laurin laughed. “Matt, how do you know if it’s a physical ailment or a spiritual one?”

“I just…” He paused, then joined in and laughed with her. “Hey, that’s not fair. It’s not the same at all.”

“It is. I simply do the next thing. That’s all you do, right?”

He sat across from her. “I’m awed by your skills, that’s all I’m saying. You’re so good with the children. Far more patient than I am, at times.”

“I don’t know about that—I’ve seen you around them. But yes, I do love children.”

Something caught inside him. One of his initial reasons for not getting involved with women from among the water people was to avoid a repeat of his own fatherless childhood. He wanted a family of his own, and as he admired Laurin, the dream seemed to be growing closer with every day that passed.

She blushed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He hesitated. Did he want to freak her out? A gentle shrug of his shoulder. She deserved the honest truth. “I was imagining you with my child.”

The flush of red spread to her brow, her eyes widening. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then licked her lips. He let her have the time she needed until she dropped a hand on top of his where it rested on the table between them.

“Someday. I… Oh God, I’m speechless.”

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I love you, Laurin. I’d love to have a family with you. But someday is a good enough answer for now.”

She placed her wine glass on the table and came around to his side, crawling up to straddle his lap. His body reacted as always, going from semi-aroused to instantly ready for her. Since the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d wanted her. Now having the layer of love wrapping the physical desire made their relationship that much better.

They needed to make the next step.

He accepted her embrace, closing his eyes to simply feel her hold him. Take in the sensation of her torso touching his, her lips making contact and sneaking away like an erotic game of hide and seek. Against his cheek, his eyes. Her warm lips brushed his forehead. He tightened his grasp on her hips and nudged her higher so he could bury his face between her breasts and breathe in her scent.

The ache in his groin he pushed aside, wanting to drive them both mad enough with anticipation that when they did make love that evening, it would be even more spectacular than usual. Laurin wiggled closer, pressing her breasts to his mouth, and he bit through the layers of fabric. Hmm, she wasn’t wearing a bra, and her nipple tightened to a peak under his lips. The sounds she made as he teased her—his brain was liable to shut down completely, and he’d eagerly throw his plans for a slow seduction out the window, again, if he wasn’t careful.

Far too addictive—that’s how he found her touch. Her taste.

Instead of carrying her to the bedroom and ravishing her, he slowed. Lowered her into his lap and kissed her. The heat of her sex pressed against the ridge of his erection, but he held her still instead of letting her ride him. She complained and he swallowed the mutterings, his tongue sliding against hers. Wet kisses that eventually led to uneven breathing, with repeated caresses of hands over shoulders and backs.

“I want you…” Laurin whispered.

He laughed softly. How often was he the one to slow them down? “Later. We need to make some arrangements first.”

She leaned away, surprise in her expression. “Now?”

“Now. I’m not sure how else you think I’m going to get to the Rockies. It would take a long time to swim there.”

Laurin stared at him, her warm body nestled close, her fingers tangled in the hair at the back of his neck. He doubted she even knew she had continued to caress him.

“To the Rockies?” Sudden awareness hit her. “You’re coming too?”

“If that’s okay with you.”

She squeezed his face between her hands and kissed him, hard, pulling back to grin at him. “I had no idea you’d join me. Are you sure?”

Matt nodded. “I want to be there for you, and I’d love to meet your family, if you’re okay with me coming along. I promise not to take over—you can call the shots.”

Her look of delight faded slightly. “There should be no troubles, none that we can’t handle. I’m sure all the tribes have heard we’re together now, so there should be no more fistfights over me.”

“Well, I don’t mind if I do need to offer a little convincing. Wherever or whatever is necessary.”

Laurin wiggled off his lap and paced the tiny galley area. “I don’t even know where to start dealing with this…nebulous sensation haunting me. I mean, it’s just a feeling I have that whatever I’m suppose to do still has to happen.”

“Can we speak with your grandfather?”

She froze on the spot and twisted back to shake her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that myself. Of course we can. And there’s the shaman, and…”

He wouldn’t have been surprised to see her bounce up and down in her excitement. It hit him—she’d been gone for over two years. It was one thing to have left home to move on with your life, but she’d left on the run. Matt took a deep breath and kicked his own butt for not having thought of it sooner.

“Go on, grab your computer and we’ll book flights from Vancouver. Once we finish the next stop on our tour, it will be time to put the Stormchild into dry dock for the winter anyway. She’s too delicate a creature for the winter storms. We’ll need to switch to a sturdier vessel until the spring.”

Laurin pulled her computer off the shelf and set up the satellite link. “We can fly into Calgary, and I’ll get my parents to pick us up.”

Her hands danced over the keyboard as she arranged things, but it was her continued babbling that made him grin. Her delight and excitement was contagious, and as they booked flights and arranged for the trip, he could only hope that somewhere in the midst of the adventure he wasn’t setting up for an event that would tear them apart forever.

Hands, strong and firm, caressed her back, sneaking over her hip, and pulled her naked body tighter to Matt’s warmth. She nestled against him willingly even as she felt the twinges from their sexual romp the previous night. When they’d finally gotten all the details into place, Matt had taken her to bed and made love to her—an almost frantic rut that she’d thoroughly enjoyed, but wondered where his head was.

That had been the first session of many over the rest of the evening. He’d plied her with food and wine, then stripped her down and taken her on the deck of the Stormchild as the sun set on them. He’d moved her to the shower on the deck and washed her clean before carrying her back to the berth and loving her so thoroughly she felt decadently used this morning.

Whatever had gotten into him, she wasn’t about to complain.

Except when he reached around to cup her breast she stilled him, catching his wrist in her fingers. “You’re insatiable.”

He planted wet kisses on her shoulder blade. “Is there a problem with that?”

Laurin laughed, pulling away. “I want to brush my teeth. I need coffee, and then if you still have any sexual mojo left to take care of, I’d be happy to oblige.”

Matt sat up in the bed, the thin cover of the quilt tangled around his thighs. The firm line of his abdominal muscles disappeared under the edge of the fabric, and she moved quickly to grab her toothbrush. The sooner she felt human, the sooner she could investigate that intriguing line—with her lips and tongue.

“That’s a fascinating expression you’re wearing,” Matt teased.

She waggled her brows at him and escaped the room before she forgot about things like personal hygiene and morning breath, and let him ravish her again.

By the time the water had boiled, she felt ready to face the day, her face washed, teeth cleaned. Matt had joined her at the sink, his hip nudging her repetitively until she realized he was doing it on purpose, and she laughed.

There was something so right about being with him. Maybe this whole trip back to the mountains was a mistake. Should she just accept that her life was here on the ocean? Why was she dragging Matt across the country to face questions that might have no answers? A trip home to visit family—that part would be wonderful. Her mother would love Matt.

It was the nebulous sense of responsibility she felt to her people that threatened her and Matt’s life together.

The haunting cry of a bird of prey broke the morning stillness. Laurin stiffened, Matt tensed at her side. He leapt ahead of her to take the steps up onto the deck two at a time. She followed, grabbing the long shirt that hung on a nearby coat hook and slipping her arms into the sleeves awkwardly as she scrambled to reach the deck.

Matt stood at the stern near the railing, staring into the sky. His shoulders squared, body braced as if expecting a fight. She followed the line of his vision and gasped. A huge golden eagle circled above and her heart leapt to her throat. Kilade? How had the man found her again? Were the tribes still keeping track of when she shifted to her avian forms and using that to find her?

It had been months since Matt had fought her people, and she’d felt certain they were no longer searching for her to take her powers for their own. But above—clearly she’d been mistaken about at least one of them. Laurin stared at Matt. He’d defeated Kilade before, but she’d hate to have him fight again and again if the man continued to ignore no as an answer.

“Matt, use your shaman magic this time. No he-man heroics, okay?”

He kept his gaze directed skyward, but she saw his mouth curve into a grin. “Yes, dear.”

Laurin came to his side. “I have no idea why he’s here. He said he accepted our partnership. He can’t possibly think I’m going to change my mind.”

Matt shook his head, one arm sneaking around her waist and pulling her to his warmth. “Something feels different. Are you sure it’s Kilade?”

All her anxiety knotted into a ball and unraveled. Could it be? She stepped forward and cupped her hands to her mouth and called out as loud as she could. “Kallen?”

The eagle dipped his wings and Laurin grabbed the railing, sheer delight racing through her. Meeting Kilade again would have been a nightmare, but Kallen was another story altogether.

She swirled to face Matt. “It’s okay, it’s Kallen, he’s my friend.”

She lifted her arms to the sky and gestured the giant bird down. It had been years since she’d seen him. He was huge, the wingspan of his eagle form covering over eight feet as he spread them wide and angled his way downward, spiraling toward the ship. As she watched, she remembered the sensation of riding the wind currents, seeing his minute wing adjustments as he made course corrections. Kallen pulled up hard, back winging with his talons extended to grasp the railing beside where she stood. The force of the wind hit her squarely and pushed her hair from her face, pressing the fabric of the thin shirt tight to her skin.

Laurin stepped closer and reached out a hand to stroke his head in greeting as the tribes did at home. He preened against her palm, his bright eye catching hers, and a tiny flutter of remembered heat hit. Of all the men of the tribes, Kallen had been the one she’d admired the most, with his mesmerizing gaze, his sculpted muscular body. The only one she’d had any interest in getting to know more intimately. When she’d chosen to run away, it was Kallen who she’d been reluctant to abandon. But with his brother and him both vying for the leadership of his tribe, he had been as much of a threat to her as any of them.

“What does he want?” Matt growled.

Laurin startled at the sound of his voice. Guilt shot through her that she could even think Kallen desirable after having spent the past night, and months, in Matt’s tender care. She slipped away, snatching her hands to her chest. “I’m not sure.”

Matt stepped in front of her, and the eagle jerked away, scratching his talons along the wood railing as he retreated from the shaman. “Stay still,” Matt ordered.

Kallen dipped his head, watching cautiously as Matt touched his head, not as delicately as Laurin had. The two males froze in position, and when Matt released Kallen, a string of light curses rose from his lips.

“What’s wrong?” Laurin eyed Kallen, concerned that some dire illness she couldn’t see had struck him. “Kallen, shift—tell me what’s the matter.”

Matt spun and grabbed her by the elbow, dragging her toward the wheelhouse. “He can’t shift, that’s the problem.”

“What?”

“He’s been cursed. As far as I can tell from first touch, someone laid a geis on him and he’s unable to shift until it’s lifted.”

Laurin had never heard of such a thing. She stopped, turning to face Kallen. “Can you cure him?”

Matt tugged on her arm. “Come below.”

“Matt, what are you doing? Why are you acting this way? Is he contagious?” It was the only thing she could think of. Why else would she be herded back into the ship, her lover’s face stone cold and emotionless?

He paused and shook his head in frustration. “No, it’s not something you can catch, and…I’m sorry.” He dropped her elbow, scrubbing his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“For what?”

“I need you out of the way for a bit.”

That made no sense at all. “Matt, tell me what’s going on. Why are you acting like this?”

Matt spat out the words. “He wants you, okay? That’s why he came here. He’s been looking for you and thinks you can cure him.”

“Can I?” She glanced over his shoulder at where Kallen clung to the railing. “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“You can’t heal him, I have to.”

“Then…why aren’t you healing him?” Laurin cupped Matt’s face in her hands. The peace she associated with Matt had vanished. Instead as she stared into his eyes, the blue depths were dark, his face twisted with anger and something shadowy. “Matt, please, just tell me what’s wrong.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and for a brief moment the calm of his magic touched her. It swirled away faster than she thought possible, and anger and fear poured into its place.

One step back broke his contact with her, then another, before he looked up. Longing and bitter fear colored the fringes of his magic. “I’m sorry. I’ve never…felt like this before. I can’t heal him until I find my balance.”

His shirt flew in one direction, his pants in another as he stripped.

“What are—?”

“I’m going for a swim. I can’t…” He broke off the words and hauled her against his naked body, kissing her fiercely. Possessive, heated, as if he was storing up her memory in that instant and might never touch her again. Laurin clung to him as she returned the kiss, striving to understand. Longing to provide whatever it was he needed.

When he let her go, her heart pounded. From arousal, from fear. “You’re leaving me?”

“Oh, God, no.” His voice broke. “Not leaving, just… I’ll be back. And with everything that is in me, I pray you’ll still be here when I return.”

Chapter Three

Guilt speared through Matt harder than he’d ever felt before in his life. He raced for the edge of the deck, forcing down the urge to lock Laurin up and tuck her away from the sight of her fellow air shifter.

One foot hit the railing before he leapt over the edge, waiting until after he hit the water to shift. He wanted the shock of the cold, hoping it would knock some sense back into his brain. Seconds later he dashed away as an orca, a killer whale. An image feared by the human community, but he should have chosen an eel. It would have been more in keeping with the deep emotion now bubbling up from within.

Jealousy ate him. From the moment Laurin had announced her intentions to go home, he’d fought the emotion. Denied its existence. He did understand her need to be there for her people. His responsibilities as shaman—he’d been born to them as well. The magic had come unasked for, and he’d accepted it as his duty and privilege to serve his people. He would never deny her that. But knowing she felt torn between the mountains and sea, and accepting he might have to give her up… That part burned.

He twisted in the water, increasing his speed as he raced away from the boat. The water welcomed him. Cradled and held him as he escaped from what he had no control over. Oh God, the spike of pain that hit as he thought about her response to recognizing Kallen. He’d felt her desire, her interest in the other shifter, and he’d never expected how much it would hurt.

His people weren’t normally the jealous type. Sharing lovers was common, accepted. But not for him, not Laurin.

She hadn’t intended on causing him pain. It had been an honest reaction on her part—and that’s what made it all the more hurtful. He knew he wanted no one else in his life, no one but her. He’d sensed that almost since their first meeting.

She hadn’t had the same reaction, and perhaps it was because they weren’t meant to be forever.

Maybe even now she would shift and accompany the air shifter home. She’d been looking for a way to get involved and help her people—it seemed a logical place to start. With someone she admired, someone who leapt to her mind as desirable.

Matt mentally cursed and dove deeper, trying to outrun his tormented mind and soul. He refused to think about it, just pushing his body to the point of exhaustion, hoping to find the peace of the ocean.

How long he swam, he had no idea, but eventually the stabbing pain within him dimmed. Either he grew numb, or the sea was administering its peace on him. Finding a way to soothe his troubled heart. He turned, watching the ocean floor more closely, examining his surroundings instead of flying past like a torpedo bent on destruction.

He was a shaman. He healed—the gift was not his to withhold and administer as he pleased, but as was needed. To turn his back on that responsibility was impossible to imagine. Kallen needed to be healed, and Matt would do so to the best of his ability.

As soon as he accepted that truth, a wash of energy filled his body. Renewed strength filling his torso as he moved steadily back to the ship. The tight bomb-like sensation in his chest eased. Sadness and guilt that he’d allowed his jealousy to intrude on who he was pressed in momentarily before the ocean answered again with a healing touch.

Oh God, he was being restored by the waters of the Pacific.

As shaman, his powers flowed from the water. Gave him the strength to heal and bring peace to all of the family of water shifters. The power had been a responsibility he had welcomed, but the ability to serve others had occasionally been a touch of a burden as well. He shifted back to human and hung suspended in the current off the small island he circled. The bright blue of the sky was muted as he looked up through the salt water and accepted the caress of the ocean. He’d never been held like this before—ministered to by the sea whose people he served.

It was like receiving a gift for once, instead of being the one to bestow it.

His head broke the surface and he rolled to his back to allow the sun to warm his skin. Cradled in the waves, Matt released the last of his troubles, crying out like a penitent in a confessional. He didn’t want to lose Laurin. He feared she would choose her own people if given the chance. He didn’t want to return to being alone, unloved except for what he could provide through his magic.

The water washed away his fears. Accepted them, acknowledged them, but then fed him back enough magic to soothe him inside.

He was not alone. Never, was he ever alone. A million voices of the People of the Sea carried to him, blurring together along the water’s surface. Beneath the waves, the non-shifting kin called to him as well—the dolphins in their pods, otters and the seals, and far to the north the sea lions and even the great whales. They didn’t understand his worries about alone.

They were always there.

He gave thanks for their love and comfort, and turned to swim for the Stormchild. A spark of inspiration hit—and his heart grew lighter with hope. He would do what was right, but he would also do everything he could to make his dream a reality. That included fighting to keep Laurin in his life.

Matt reached the ship, his mind finally clear and his soul far more peaceful than when he’d left. The slap of the rope ladder as it hit the hull drew his attention upward to see Laurin’s concerned face staring over at him. He made the wobbly ascent to reach the deck only to be attacked by a huge fluffy towel and a death grip of a hug.

She clung to him, the warmth of her body bleeding through the towel and heating him. Even more, the strength of her grip on his shoulders as she stared into his face, the concern in her eyes and then the meaningful kiss she planted on his lips—it hit him forcefully, and he accepted it as another blessing.

Then she made a fist and thumped him on the chest, hard, and he swore.

“What was that for?”

“You scared me to death.” She pushed him away, arms crossed in front of her, chin tilted defiantly. “What the hell was that all about? You raced out of here like the devil himself was on your heels.”

She was right—he’d been chased by the devil’s curse of jealousy. Matt dried himself, looking around quickly for their guest and not seeing him anywhere. “I’ll explain in a second. Where’s Kallen gone?”

“He’s sitting at the prow. I can’t talk to him in human form, and your reaction to his arrival scared me enough I wasn’t about to shift when you weren’t here. I still don’t understand what is going on.”

“I’ll explain. First, let me do what I can for your friend.”

Matt found his discarded shorts on the deck and pulled them on before he called out Kallen’s name. A golden head appeared over the roof of the wheelhouse. Matt pointed before him. “Come. Let me see if I can lift this curse.”

The giant bird landed on the deck and Matt knelt at his side.

“Do you need me to do anything?” Laurin asked.

Matt gestured her back. “Stay out of range. I don’t sense anything malicious attached to the curse other than it’s blocking his ability to change, but just in case.”

A soft kiss landed on his shoulder followed by the sound of her footfalls as she slipped into the wheelhouse where she could watch and remain protected. He smiled at her. Laurin kissed her fingers and he sensed her good wishes.

Before him the eagle cried, soft and low. Matt laid his hands on Kallen’s head and gathered his magic, wrapping it in a circle around the two of them to protect and contain whatever might burst forth as the curse was lifted.

Within the sphere, moisture gathered—a component of his water magic. He drew from his abilities to attempt to wash clean the curse, peeling away layer after layer like a rotten wallpapering job. Clumsy, some of the layers. Others brilliantly applied. All of them foul with ill-intent and the desire to cause Kallen harm.

Time meant nothing. Matt focused completely. On giving from his soul, being who he was supposed to be. By the time his task was accomplished, Matt was sweating profusely, the eagle shaking under his hands. The crisp texture of feathers morphed slowly into slick skin. Kallen gasped with pain. Matt rested his hands on the man’s broad shoulders as the shifter returned to his human form, crouching naked on the deck.

They both panted for air, bodies worn from the process as Matt removed the protective circle from around them. Kallen clasped wrists with him, the firm hold allowing them both to stand slowly, providing each other support that Matt wasn’t happy to need. He stared up at the air shifter who had at least four inches on him in height.

Matt offered a greeting, hoping to put aside his initial response. “Welcome back, brother. How do you feel?”

The other man took a deep breath and let it go. His mouth opened and—no sound came out. The relieved expression on Kallen’s face vanished as he attempted to speak and remained mute.

Shit. Matt held out a hand to the man, waiting for his permission. Kallen nodded, and Matt pressed his fingers to Kallen’s throat, feeling for any lingering damage caused by the curse. There was nothing at first, nothing that would make him suspicious, but as Matt continued his investigation, he discovered there was another layer to the curse still remaining. Something strong and complicated, with a sense of both the ocean and the mountains combined.

“Kallen, who did this to you?” Matt asked.

Kallen gestured helplessly.

“Matt? What’s happening?”

The concern in her voice was back and Matt motioned urgently. “Go below, and find a pad of paper or something.”

As Laurin scrambled for something to write on, Kallen held out a hand. It was a peace offering if he’d ever seen one. A way of showing his gratitude, and willingness to let Matt take charge.

Now if only Matt didn’t want to tell the man to leave immediately. The complication of keeping the air shifter around any longer than necessary played havoc on Matt’s only recently calmed jealous streak.

“Who among the air clans could have cursed Kallen—with enough power that the curse is multilayered and more than your average shaman can cure?” Matt asked Laurin as she returned, passing the writing pad to the air shifter.

“Someone high ranking? Kallen is in line to lead the Assiniboine people. Well, him or his brother.”

“The brother you were afraid of? Who I fought back in June?” He felt her tense even as he reminded her.

“Yes, the same. Only Kallen isn’t anything like Kilade. If I had to trust anyone, it would be Kallen. When I was young, he stopped the taunting more than once when my family visited his. My grandfather made us stop over at all the tribes every year. Since we didn’t know why I was Hawáte, able to boost other’s powers, he insisted I learn everything possible about all the People of the Air.”

Matt ignored that for a minute, focusing on the issue of Kallen. “His father—would he be powerful enough to arrange this curse?”

Kallen grasped Matt’s hand again and shook his head.

“Not your father…but someone from your tribe?”

Kallen turned to the pad of paper but before his pen touched the page, Laurin spoke up.

“It was Kilade, wasn’t it?”

A curt nod. The air shifter’s shoulders drooped, his massive body full of misery.

They sat in silence at the tiny portable table on the deck, Kallen folding his bulk behind one side, Laurin to his right. Matt watched warily as he took a seat only a foot away. Kallen’s gaze seemed to flick back to Laurin involuntarily time and time again.

The layers of curse within the curse—Matt had never experienced such a thing before. He knew it was possible, but the casting would have taken a huge toll on the person. He highly doubted Kilade had the power on his own—he must have convinced others to assist him, including someone from the People of the Sea. With two or more people establishing the curse, it was incredibly complex.

And the cure? Virtually impossible.

Laurin touched Kallen’s shoulder—just the touch of commiseration. Matt had seen her do that same thing to a child when offering comfort from a fall or during a difficult lesson. The pain cut hard though, and he had to bite his tongue to stop from ordering her to get her hands off the man. They looked so connected. Even with the variation in their coloring—hers light, his dark—it was obvious they were both of the air clans.

He closed his eyes and tried to find that peace. The offering of the ocean he’d only so recently received.

“Can you tell us anything else about what happened? Or why you’ve come to us? How did you know where to find me?” Laurin asked all the right questions, and Matt let her take charge. Partly drained from his earlier healing, he let himself mentally drift as he waited. Kallen’s pen scratched lightly on the page.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been daydreaming. The touch of Laurin’s hand on his made him open his eyes. He clasped her fingers tight, not wanting to let go. She smiled, squeezing back before pushing the pad of paper his direction. As Matt moved to read the message, Laurin touched Kallen’s shoulder again to get his attention.

“We’ll do what we can to help you, I promise.” The familiar cool wash of Laurin’s magic flashed in a new and unexpected manner, lighting them with a bright incandescence that left spots before Matt’s eyes. She shot to her feet in an instant, back against the mast, fear on her face. “What was that? Was that…me?”

He’d never felt her power react like that before. She always insisted she didn’t have magic of her own, just the ability to bolster another’s. Not once in the past two months during their experimenting had she ever initiated anything he couldn’t do on his own. It had to be her responding to something—in Kallen?

Cold dread poured into Matt’s heart. He stared at Kallen in horror.

“What did your brother do to you?” Matt demanded.

The written message Kallen passed over provided little information about the actual curse. Two weeks earlier, Kallen had been ambushed during a walk and woke in his avian form. The rest of the revelations in the note turned Matt’s dismay to an even greater consternation.

My brother made no pretense of innocence in the attack. Kilade bragged he would now take leadership of our people, and there was nothing I could do to stop him. He told me to find Laurin. Said she was the only one who could cure me. But I see no way for that to occur.

I thank you, Shaman, for giving me back my human form. I had met with two other healers of the air clans before seeking you, and neither of them was strong enough to help me shift. I will continue to search for a cure. I refuse to remain as a mute—I must find a way to return to my tribe and take over from my brother. This deceit proves he is not a worthy leader for them.

“Why would Kilade tell you to see me? I have no healing powers. And if he was the one to curse you in the first place, why offer you the cure?” Laurin moved to Matt’s side, crawled into his lap and he curled himself around her, protecting as best he could.

“Kilade had a deeper reason for coming to fight back in June.” Matt stared across the short distance at where Kallen watched them carefully. “He actually quit before we were done. He seemed pleased to discover Laurin and I were partners.”

“He said he wanted to be sure you were strong enough to defend me,” Laurin pointed out.

Matt thought back to the fight. The air shifters who’d wanted to take control of Laurin’s abilities had come to claim her as a mate, and he’d fought them, letting it be known in no uncertain terms that her choice was the one that mattered. His suspicions regarding the exact nature of the curse grew.

The situation wasn’t improving.

Kallen leaned back on his stool uneasily. His dark eyes took in every move across from him. Matt’s reservations wavered as he considered how he would feel if their roles were reversed. It had to be a horrible position—to be totally dependent on others’ goodwill for something that hugely affected not only Kallen’s future, but his tribe’s.

“What if you can heal Kallen?” Matt asked Laurin. He turned her face toward him, ignoring the hope that flashed in Kallen’s eyes. “What if you do have the ability, with my help?”

The eagerness she felt was plain to see. “Then I would cure him, of course.”

“There’s no of course to it. Not everything is simple, Laurin.”

She narrowed her gaze. “What are you not telling me?”

Kallen waited, silent and still. Matt hesitated. He had to push past his fears. If this was meant to be, he had to be strong enough to face it himself. “Do you remember how to make your magic rise to the surface?”

She nodded.

“Stand up.”

She slipped off his lap and stood beside the table. The wind flicked her long hair around her face and he’d never seen her look more beautiful. “What do I need to do? Am I going to try to cure him right now?”

Matt shook his head. “This is just a test. Give Kallen your hand.”

The air shifter eyed Matt, as if asking for permission. Did the man know what was potentially on the horizon? Matt gave a slight tilt of his head, and Kallen accepted Laurin’s fingers into his, his large hand engulfing hers.

“Now what?” Her voice trembled.

“Bring your magic to the surface. Touch Kallen with it.”

The wind increased around them, like a localized storm had settled on the deck of the ship. But other than that—nothing. Both Kallen and Laurin turned their gazes toward Matt, disappointment in her eyes, resignation in his. Laurin pulled her hand free and clasped them together behind her back.

“It didn’t work.”

“I didn’t think it would.”

“What? Then why did you have me—?”

“It’s not enough. Your magic alone is not enough. Neither is mine.”

Her face lit up again. “So if we work together, we can cure him?”

“I think so.”

She thrust out a hand to Kallen, eager and willing. “Give Matt your other hand, Kallen,” she ordered.

Matt took it slowly. Kallen wrapped his fingers around hers. The stirring of her magic began again, and this time Matt added his power to the mix. Poured healing into Kallen’s body. He tried his hardest, because the alternative was going to be shocking for Laurin to consider, and leaving Kallen cursed was becoming less of an alternative with every minute that passed.

She truly did care for the air shifter—that was clear.

Around them the flash of magic sparkled in the air, although the slow exchange of energy he always felt when his powers were used was almost nonexistent. Something was happening, but not much, and it was Laurin who first dropped her hand from Kallen’s and muttered in frustration.

“I can feel it, Matt. I can feel my magic trying to help, but it’s like there’s a wall. I’ve never—”

She sat back, frustration and disappointment written on her body. “I’m sorry, Kallen. We tried.”

The shifter dipped his head and reached for the pad of paper.

Thank you. If I might spend a few hours resting before returning to the mountains, I would be grateful.

“Of course you can stay. Are you hungry? Matt? I should go make us a late breakfast.”

“Thank you, Laurin.” Matt made sure he kept his touch light as she came to his side and kissed him. He couldn’t resist holding her close for an extra moment, drawing strength from the contact.

Then he was alone with the air shifter, and his internal moral battle reached the pinnacle. He looked across the short distance to Kallen, trying to see the man that Laurin knew. Someone from her past, maybe someone from her future. If she’d stayed in the mountains, she could have ended up mated with him. He was strong—both physically, and in the ways of the air shifters. Although their people were different, Matt sensed the power inside Kallen and knew him to be nearly his equal. Matt’s edge came from his connection to the water—the power not his own but shared from the ocean herself.

He raised his gaze to meet Kallen’s and the knowledge hit him like a wall of a tsunami.

“You know there is still a chance we can help, don’t you?”

Kallen hesitated, then nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell Laurin?” Matt’s soul ached. Why hadn’t he instantly told Laurin either?

It took a while for Kallen to write out his answer. He stared at Matt for a long moment before passing the notepad over.

Kilade told me specifically, and with a great deal of glee, what it would take to cure me. He also informed me that you would never allow it to happen. I have no wish to hurt Laurin, or challenge you, that’s not why I came. I did hope you could break at least the first part of the curse, and I’m grateful for your help. Now that I have had the chance to see her again, and know that you are indeed caring for her, I will leave and find another way to be healed.

Matt used his shaman gift to search the air shifter for truth. What he found was nothing but goodwill toward himself, and a deep admiration for Laurin. The second emotion made Matt’s throat tighten. It wasn’t love he sensed—more an infatuation combined with a great deal of lust.

Kallen wasn’t in love with Laurin, just wanted her. Funny how that actually made Matt feel better.

The other shifter rose to his feet, the towel wrapped around his waist all that covered him. Matt could see why Laurin would have admired the man—he was powerful and strong in body, and it seemed, extremely kind in nature.

“What if I told you there’s still a chance for the curse to be lifted?” The words burst out, surprising both of them. Kallen’s eyes widened and Matt laughed in spite of the insanity of the situation. “It’s not as foreign an idea amongst the water people as it is for your tribes.”

The air shifter sat down with a thump, muted hope in his eyes. He scrambled for the pen.

I would never dream to presume. While the situation would be unusual for me, I will admit I have always admired and desired Laurin. But I don’t want this at her expense, or at the risk of your relationship.

“At least you admitted you want her. Don’t lay on the heroics too thick,” Matt muttered. The frown on Kallen’s face showed his confusion. Matt waved it off. Damn, the man was a shining example of virtue. “Just a warning—I won’t insist on her participation. In fact, she’s got to understand completely what the cure will take, and be the one to initiate it. Will you agree to that?”

Kallen nodded.

“I’ll explain the situation to her after we eat. I guess you’ll be our guest for a few days. There’s a spare hammock you can rig up to sleep on deck.”

Kallen rose again, bowing deeply to Matt before coughing and pointing to the towel. His raised brow and slight smile made Matt realize just how ridiculous he was being. “Yes, I’ll find you some clothes as well. Because even if I’m going to allow you to make love with my partner, I don’t need to see you naked all the time until it happens.”

Chapter Four

It was the first time the ship had ever felt too small. Matt led her into the forward berth immediately after their meal was finished and proceeded to shock the hell out of her.

He lay stretched out on the mattress, his chest bare. The weather was warm enough that all he wore was a pair of knee-length khaki shorts. She sat on the edge of the mattress, letting her appreciative gaze roam his body.

He returned her admiration, his fingers trailing down the side of her cheek, trickling over her collarbone. The brushing tease lit a warmth deep inside. His voice when he spoke was lower than usual, not quiet as if to avoid Kallen overhearing, but husky and needy, like he was a second away from jumping her. “You were brave to try to cure Kallen earlier.”

“Brave? Matt, he’s a friend. If I can help, I want to.”

“What if it takes a lot of energy to heal him?” Matt warned. “Are you prepared for that?”

Laurin leaned back on one elbow. “Is that why we couldn’t do it before? I’m not strong enough?”

He shook his head as he tugged her closer, rolling onto his back with her draped on top. She lay uneasily, intensely aware that on the other side of the door, Kallen remained at the table looking over a pile of magazines. While they had eaten, Matt had asked him to stay for the night, and although she was happy to have a little longer with Kallen around, being in the bedroom with Matt right now seemed somehow…dirty.

“You’re strong enough. It comes down to the method of releasing the magic.”

Hope rose inside. “Really? Can you teach me how to do it the right way?”

He stroked her hair back from her face, tenderness in his touch. “Why are you so eager to cure him? He’s the brother of someone who scared you to death the last time you met.”

“Kallen isn’t like his brother. He’s a good man, Matt. I didn’t spend a ton of time with him, but what I did, and the stories I’ve heard, made me admire him.”

Matt’s eyes darkened, changing from the bright blue of the ocean under the endless summer sky to a storm-tossed sea, fraught with potential violence as it headed unstoppable toward shore. “Then we’ll cure him. As soon as you’re sure.”

She pressed up, ready to head back into the galley. “I’m sure. What do we need to do?”

His arms pinned her in place. “Join our magic. Through you.”

Laurin froze. “Excuse me?”

Matt didn’t allow her to retreat. In fact, he rolled again and trapped her under his body, hand cradling her face. “I’m going to tell you simply. The magic is built in layers, and this Kilade of yours has found a curse from the mountain people powerful enough to steal his brother’s voice. But he mixed it with a curse from the sea, and that means neither of our people can cure Kallen alone. We have to be completely united to cause any effect.”

“We are united, aren’t we? Don’t you want to heal him?”

“It’s not enough, Laurin. Want is one thing, but power is another.” He stared at her, the centers of his eyes dilating. “Remember the fertility ritual we witnessed? Remember the woman at the center of the celebration and how she took both men into her body? That’s what a cure will take, Laurin. The magic of the sea poured through you into Kallen.”

He waited. Her pulse had increased the entire time he spoke as the images from the ceremony returned to her—sensual and erotic. It had been one of the most incredible nights of her life, but she still couldn’t think back on it without blushing.

This time she pictured herself as the center of attention instead of the woman. Two sets of hands on her body. Matt’s familiar and heart-pounding touch. Kallen’s firm body pressed to hers, exploring and caressing for the first time. Both of them, working together to bring her to ecstasy.

Her mouth instantly went dry.

“You want me to have sex with Kallen?”

Matt swooped in and took her lips like a wild animal denied food for weeks. He ravished her mouth, thrusting with his tongue and settling his body on hers so she felt his hardened shaft against her stomach. His touch moved everywhere, driving up her desire without a conscious thought. The gentle caresses of moments before vanished as he took ownership of her. Pulled a response from her, made her entire body ache for him to fill her sex with the full length of his cock and drive the madness of his words away.

The drag of his teeth down her neck made her cry out. Pain, followed by unspeakable pleasure hit as he shoved up her T-shirt and bit her nipple through her bra. He crawled over her, arranging her limbs where he wanted them, biting and licking, pinching and sucking until the room spun and she gasped for air.

“Matt, oh my…” He ripped off her clothes and raised her hips in the air and thrust his tongue into her body, nipping at her clit, laving her sex until a climax exploded from her. She bit the back of her hand, striving to muffle the calls escaping as her body shook with release.

Matt snatched up her hands and restrained them over her head, wrists pinned together in his strong grasp. It left his other hand free, and he caught her chin, turning her face toward his. He spoke softly, but clear, loud enough that if Kallen was listening, there would be no doubt that he could overhear.

“Do I want you to have sex with another man? There’s a part inside me that says no. Never. I want you to be mine, and mine alone.” His gaze dropped over her body, lust filled, possessive. “Your breasts are mine to enjoy and admire. To bite and suck until you squirm under me and beg for me to give you more. Your lips are mine. To kiss softly like a gentle wave, or to take like a winter’s storm until they throb from my touch.” He traced her mouth with his finger. “Your mouth is mine—not only to kiss, but to press my cock into, filling you intimately, letting you pleasure me until I can’t stand it any longer and spill my seed.”

Laurin shivered, arching up hard as he stroked his fingers down her body, caressing one moment, scratching his nails over her sensitive skin the next.

“I love to give you pleasure like that,” she confessed. Whispered, only for his ears.

He grinned at her, a wild look in his eyes. “Your sex is mine. The taste of your cream, the squeeze of your muscles. The gasps that escape from your throat when I work my way in—all mine, and I don’t ever want another to experience what you share with me.”

He touched her, fingers circling her labia. She was soaking wet from simply listening to him. When he slipped a finger into her depths, she breathed out a sigh. Matt thrust slowly, one more finger added. He twisted his hand and the spiraling motion hit something inside that made her gasp. Even as his hand moved, he had leaned forward and now stared into her eyes.

“That’s the one part of me. But there’s another part…”

He kissed across her cheek, butterfly soft. The illusion of a touch. Laurin attempted to clasp him, but he had her locked in place, hands still frozen to the mattress above her head.

“Another part of me longs to see you in the throes of a climax and be able to watch your face from a distance. I want to feel your pleasure increase exponentially as not only one pair of lips suckle your breasts, but two.”

His hand moved relentlessly. As he spoke, he stretched up her arms a little farther, pressing her breasts upward.

“I want to see another man admire you, but only if in the end I know that no matter how good he makes you feel, how much pleasure you receive from him, that it’s me you love and want forever.”

She teetered on the brink, needing just a little more. “Matt, please.”

“Please, what? Shall I open the door and let Kallen watch? Would you like—?”

“No!” Even the thought made her shake.

He rose over her, his fingers slipping from her sex, the hard tip of his cock nudging her folds. He held her in place with his body, wrists still trapped. She was helpless, controlled, and yet there was no fear but an overwhelming sense of urgency inside her demanding she satisfy his need.

Whatever he required at this moment, she was willing to give. All the time they’d spent together, all the conversations and quiet evenings, all the wild moments in bed and more unusual places, meshed together into a tapestry filled with color and sound.

“Take me. Oh God, please, Matt. I’m yours, just take me.”

He thrust and she screamed out, his hard length splitting her in two, and she’d never been so filled before. Her heart pounded, her breasts ached. It was as if everything he’d mentioned was there, available. The sensation of his mouth at her breasts—but not enough. His cock thrusting in again and again—and yet somehow she was empty. He slid over her, skin on skin, lowering his mouth to hers, and she kissed him eagerly, offering her lips, her tongue.

Herself.

Her cries of pleasure grew louder, and still he didn’t stop. He released her wrists, growling as he spoke. “Keep them there.”

She clutched her fingers together and clung to the sheets, wanting to obey, fighting the dire need to hold him tight.

He reached down and lifted her hips into the air and thrust even harder, and she called out his name, waves pulsing through her as her orgasm rocked her. Matt slowed, sweat trickling down his brow, his eyes glittering as he let his gaze roam over her. A series of aftershocks shook her as he lowered her to the mattress, his hard length still buried within her sheath. His body shook as if he fought for control before he withdrew without reaching his own climax.

She struggled to catch her breath. That had been the most unusual and wild lovemaking session yet, except for the fertility ritual she’d witnessed. Even thinking the words brought the images back, and when she felt a touch between her ass cheeks, she tensed.

Matt stared at her. “Even here, Laurin. I want this to belong to me as well. I want every part of you to know my touch and feel my possession.” He pressed in a circle against her, wetness on his finger. She shuddered and would have closed her eyes, but he shook his head. “Watch my face. Witness how much this means to me.”

He slid a digit in, opening the tight muscle, and she struggled to relax. Matt worked his finger in and out slowly, the sensation strange, but not unwelcome. The rest of her still buzzed from her climax, and when he leaned over and touched his tongue to her clit, her head nearly hit the ceiling.

“Too much. No, no more. I can’t…”

“You can. Accept the pleasure I give you. Take me—into your body, and your heart.”

She was going to die from an overdose of ecstasy. One touch led to another. He licked her intimately, adding to the fire building in her core. The sight of his head buried between her legs, dark hair against her light limbs, combined with what he was doing, drove her crazy. He wouldn’t stop, not until she fisted a handful of his hair in an attempt to pull him away long enough to smooth out her breath.

He moved like lightning, grabbing a tie-down strap from where it usually secured the cupboard doors. The firm black material was looped around her wrists in an instant, his fingers slipping along her wrist.

“Matt, what are you doing?” Each word took extraordinary effort to say, desire wrapping her in a tight cocoon of need and want she feared might never get answered.

He paused after slowly tugging on her wrists as he looped the free end of the strap through a wall bracket. Matt swallowed hard, rasping out the words. “Tell me again. Tell me to take you. That you’re mine, any way I want.”

She wiggled, brushing his naked body with hers the best she could, and his eyelids fluttered, face tightening. On the other side of the door, Kallen still sat, unless he’d escaped to the deck of the ship. He would have heard every one of her cries, could probably imagine what they were doing, and the thought didn’t embarrass her, but made her hot. Heat poured from Matt, his hunger for her clear. But over his desire, the powerful need for her to surrender to him was obvious.

Did she want this? She tugged on the straps securing her wrists, and the flash of desire in her core nearly tipped her over the edge into another orgasm.

“Anything. Everything. I’m yours.”

Relief filled his eyes briefly before being washed away with lust. Something cool and wet touched her. His finger pressed into her ass again, easier this time. Smooth and slick. Somewhere he’d found lubricant, and when the stretching touch on her back passage grew she gasped.

Flat on her back she could see his every move. He adjusted her position, pressed her limbs higher, knees wide to the side. With her arms trapped overhead, there was nothing she could do but comply and allow him control.

And watch. Examine every nuance of expression that flitted over his face. Every word that escaped his lips fell clearly on her ears. Words of love and desire, and possessiveness. She shivered and he caught her gaze with his own.

“You’re mine.”

The tip of his cock touched her body. Pressure increased and she consciously relaxed, drawing strength from the look of love in his eyes. Heat, pain, something between the two streaked through as he opened her. It was strange and wonderful, and she couldn’t remain silent another second. She called out his name, her voice echoing against the walls of the small room. There was nowhere on the ship that wouldn’t have heard her, and she was glad.

She wanted Kallen to know that here, now, Matt was loving her so completely she could no longer restrain herself. The sensation of Matt filling her body grew in pleasure as he worked his way in. One slight rock after another, each one touching her in new places, not just in her body, but her soul. She’d given to Matt before. Offered her body, but this—far more intimate, far more complete.

And the pleasure? “Oh my God, how can this feel so good?”

His groin met her ass and she shuddered. He leaned forward and suddenly her hands were free.

His eyes—incredible. The light in them dazzled her. “We belong together. In all ways. At all times.”

He dragged his hips back slowly. A series of ecstatic shocks spread through her lower limbs. It wasn’t just where they connected that felt the pleasure. Inside her sex, over her breasts. Her entire body was a part of the lovemaking and she needed completion. Needed to have him truly take her. Laurin planted her feet on the mattress, and the next time he pressed in, she moved as well, increasing the pace and the hardness of the thrust.

“Matt…more. Harder.” It wasn’t enough. She was in danger of igniting into a pyre, the lingering embers of passion heating her everywhere. She cupped her breasts, pinched her nipples. Anything to make the moment she craved arrive.

Matt’s grasp on her hips increased, his fingers squeezing the soft flesh as he raised her slightly and drove in. Her breath whooshed out, each plunge into her body priming her closer to the breaking point.

Then he leaned over her, one hand resting on the bed, his cock still buried deep. He slipped his other hand between them and touched her clit, and that was all it took for the sky to meet her. She was flying, her entire body a part of the experience. Pulsing around his shaft, his continued drags as she clutched him serving only to draw out her pleasure beyond what she thought possible. His thumb rubbed her clit, her orgasm washed through her core, making her blood pound, her hands shake, her vision blur.

Matt froze, his groin tight to her skin, his shaft buried deep. Their eyes met and he came, the ecstasy on his face setting off another series of tremors in her body. Heat, pressure. His possession of her complete and oh-so-welcome. His arm where it pressed into the mattress beside her body shook, and she reached up and hauled him down, skin to skin. Like a flash fire, sparks exploded as their bodies connected. She shivered with how good it felt to belong so completely, to have been commanded by him for her own pleasure.

She felt cherished as he wiped her clean. Felt treasured held in his embrace as they cuddled together on the mattress. Their breathing still erratic, still shaken by the extreme satisfaction of their lovemaking.

She closed her eyes and soaked in the experience.

When he tugged her shoulder, rolling her to the side, she went willingly. Oh God, his eyes—his eyes glowed like a lightning storm over the water. He touched his lips to her forehead. Held them there. Spoke against her skin so quietly she had to strain to hear.

“I love you, Laurin.”

The words blessed her ears and stirred something deep, deep within her heart. “I love you too.”

Chapter Five

Somehow a small portion of hell had broken free from the depths of the earth and risen to surround his ship.

Matt sat at the prow of the Stormchild staring at the coastline as he tried to decide the proper tack to take. Below him on his bed, his heart slumbered. He’d well and truly worn Laurin out, and she hadn’t moved when he’d reluctantly crawled away from her warmth. The soft protest that rose from deep in her throat had made his body react, but he had to deal with his uncertainties before the next stage happened or he’d go mad.

He was fairly certain they could heal the air shifter. Kallen’s curse, now that Matt had identified it, was one that he should be able to wipe clean. Laurin’s ability to enhance his strengths meant a cure was possible. As long as the three of them had sex together.

And not just any sex. Wild, passion-filled, off-the-charts sex linked with magic.

Above him, the sky shifted colors as sunlight reflected off the mountains and hit the drifting clouds. Out toward the west there was a warm haze rising from the ocean, but over the mainland and Interior Mountains clouds gathered, clinging to the peaks. Matt would have given anything to simply sit on the deck and stare at the amazing beauty surrounding him with Laurin at his side.

He loved her. Wanted her in his life. They had so many questions still to solve, and he had been looking forward to a lifetime of finding the answers. Heading to the mountains with her—all of it was important and still a part of his plans, but now…

High overhead the shadowy outline of an eagle blotted out the sun, bringing into focus exactly what was on his mind.

There was no way to deal with this situation without confirmation that Kallen was completely on his side.

The air shifter descended, shifting on the wing to land lightly in human form on the deck not two feet from Matt. Kallen’s wide grin and pleased body language said it all.

“Nice day for a flight. Did you see anyone else?” Matt asked.

Kallen shook his head as he reached for the shorts Matt had loaned him, pulling them on to cover his nudity.

There was no reason to make small talk. To the point, before Laurin woke. Matt wanted to make it clear what was, and wasn’t, going to happen.

“Kallen, I love her.” The man nodded slowly. “Among the People of the Sea, sex is often treated more casually. The idea of having two lovers or more in a bed isn’t unheard of. But it’s not what I had planned for us. For Laurin and my relationship.”

Kallen grabbed the pad of paper and wrote rapidly, passing over the notepad with a raised brow.

I do not intend to attempt to steal her from you. But I refuse to take a woman who does not desire me.

“She does desire you.” The air shifter frowned. Matt sighed, stomping off to the side. He picked up a loose rope from the deck. As he coiled it, he leaned back on the mast, watching Kallen carefully. This had to be a part of the whole. Curing Kallen—that was one part of the picture. Laurin’s doubts, and her desire to be there for her people needed to be considered as well. Allowing Laurin a chance to find exactly where she belonged—to the water or the air—was vitally important. “She also loves me. Your brother is an evil genius. He’s managed to come up with the only plan that ensures the maximum chance of you not getting healed.”

Kallen stared out over the water for a long time before turning to the paper.

Laurin is of my people, but she has never truly belonged there. When she disappeared, I was glad. I hoped she had found a new home. While I do not love her, I wish the best for her. There is nothing I can do to prove it beyond telling you—if it is right for Laurin to stay with you, I will honor that. If she desires to return to the mountains for good, then I will do whatever is needed to make that happen, including take her as a partner. I’m sorry if that angers you, but it’s the truth.

Another ache formed in Matt’s soul. “You know, this would be a lot easier if you were an asshole, Kallen. I’d simply tell you to get the hell out of here and never have to look at your ugly mug again.”

The air shifter grinned.

I find myself enjoying our time together, Shaman. Tell me, do you ever hunt?

Matt laid aside the coil of rope. “What are you thinking?”

Kallen wrote and then strode to the railing, leaving the paper behind for Matt to read.

An animal when hunted runs to safety. Finds the most attractive location. An animal being wooed by a mate reacts similarly—showing their preferences without even saying a word. Shall we hunt Laurin together? Let her reactions tell us what her desires are?

An uneasy peace settled over Matt. He didn’t want to like Kallen, but every step the man made reassured him more and more.

“You want us both to seduce her.” Kallen shrugged, but the heat in his eyes echoed the sensation Matt always felt when he thought about Laurin. “Remember, I love her, and it’s still her choice.”

Kallen bowed low. A formal, dignified motion that carried years of tradition and respect. He was truly a prince of his people, worthy of someone like Laurin. Matt stared toward the lower compartment of the ship. Only he wasn’t going to let her get away without a fight. Even if this battle would be fought on a far more sensual stage than the earlier one with Kallen’s brother.

Over one full day had passed since Kallen’s arrival and Laurin was ready to jump out of her skin. No matter where she turned, one or the other of the men seemed to be right where she was. Reaching into a cupboard, her arm brushed past a bare shoulder. Bending in the tiny galley to light the burner, her hip bumped into a groin, Matt’s arousal instant and noticeable. The weather had turned unseasonably warm, and all three of them wore only light clothing. Shorts and a tank top for her, nothing but shorts for the men. Kallen and Matt had worked around the ship and generally got in her way, no matter where she was.

She had slept in Matt’s arms, the door to the cabin wide open to let the light breezes float past. When she opened her eyes, Kallen was standing at the stove, lighting a flame under the kettle. His rigid body was all darkness and light, swaying in the shadows. Strong muscles curved over his abdomen, a trail of dark curls led down under the elastic of his shorts. Laurin watched from under half-lidded eyes, hiding from him, feeling his gaze roam over her naked body under the crumpled sheet.

Matt’s skin flamed against her back, his hand nestled possessively over her breast. He nuzzled her neck, and instantly she grew wet and ready.

And Kallen watched, eyes black as midnight filled with clearly written need.

She had the power to heal him, but she had to choose. Matt had made that clear. Yet she was torn between loving Matt and feeling guilty she felt desire for Kallen. Even as her lover touched her, stroking her nipple with his thumb, she wondered what it would be like to have Kallen join them. To thread her fingers through his dark hair and draw his lips down to hers. To taste him for the first time, run her tongue along his strong jaw. Drop her face against his neck and breathe in his scent. Pull his muscular body over hers and feel his length fill her sex.

She was going insane.

Out on the deck she fled, looking for privacy in a space that allowed none. Laurin lay on the deck and closed her eyes, her bikini an attempt at modesty when usually she would have lain in the nude.

The heat of the afternoon sun faded in comparison to the reaction in her body when she heard their footfalls approach. Two sets, walking slowly around her. Pausing at her head and feet.

She opened her eyes slowly, looking up into a stormy ocean of blue as Matt squatted at her head, leaning over. His dark hair fell across his forehead is a smooth wave.

“Do you want to go for a swim with us?”

Laurin sat up quickly. “With both of you?” She turned to stare at Kallen in shock. “You swim?”

He tilted his head politely.

“You’ve gotten good enough—and it’s a warm day. Come on, lazybones, time for a little exercise.” Matt reached down a hand to her, and she slipped her fingers into his, wondering why she tingled so hard all over.

Of course, the fact two virile men were staring intently at her nearly naked body had nothing to do with it. No, nor the fact she knew they both wanted to make love with her. Needed to make love with her.

Laurin stepped toward the ladder. She still hadn’t worked her way up to throwing herself over the side of the ship like Matt enjoyed. Only her movement was blocked by a rather large, warm body. Her entire front made contact with Kallen’s chest, the heat of his bare skin searing hers. She retreated and found herself up against Matt’s solid frame, his hands catching her upper arms to steady her shaky body. Wet need bloomed between her legs, instant desire for her lover spreading like a flame over the water’s surface.

She leaned back into Matt’s support. Maybe if she hid in the forward berth… “Do I have to swim now? The water looks cold.”

One of his thighs slipped between hers as his arms surrounded her. A blanket of heat covered her, spilling from his torso. “We’ll keep you warm.”

We’ll? Oh my God. She looked forward into Kallen’s face and a shiver rolled down her spine at the expression she found there. Need, desire, admiration. She was so intent on finding a reason for the emotions she almost missed when he bent slightly, bowing before her.

Only a second later she realized he wasn’t being polite, but removing his borrowed shorts. The muscles of his upper body tapered in at the waist, the bold cuts of his abdomen clear and firm. She tried to keep her gaze from dropping lower, but there was no way to ignore his groin, the way his cock rose from his body, fully aroused.

She’d seen his naked torso when he arrived, but now…she couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t swallow. Couldn’t think.

The air that had been trapped in her lungs escaped as she realized not only was she staring, she was rubbing against Matt in the most provocative manner. Her hands pressed to his thighs as she leaned back, her own body on display for Kallen as she reveled in the heat of her lover’s body.

How could she look at one man while in another’s arms and want to touch? To taste?

Embarrassed, overwrought and excited, she twirled and buried her face in Matt’s neck. Laurin clung to him tightly, looking for a little balance in the midst of the shaking her heart had experienced.

“Shhh, it’s okay, love. I’m here.” He stroked his fingers over her shoulders, light, easy. She took long, slow breaths and let his peace roll over her like the smoothest of seas.

Laurin pulled away and stared into his eyes. “Are we going swimming?”

She wasn’t going to let fear overtake her. She’d come so far, she’d been so strong. This situation was highly unusual, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Not with Matt at her side.

His smile lit her inside. “We swim, and show your friend from the mountains how much fun the water can be.”

He stepped back and she gasped in shock. He’d untied her bikini top without her knowledge, and the tiny triangles fell to the deck like tired flags in the calm of a storm. Her hands shot up involuntarily to cover herself, but he shook his head slowly, eyes wide with desire and admiration.

“You don’t need to cover yourself. I want to enjoy watching you. I want you to feel the water’s caress on your bare skin. As if I have a million fingers, each one dedicated to your pleasure.”

Oh God, the images. She closed her eyes and the reaction of her body to his words filled her senses until there was nothing but the two of them. Her nipples tightened, breasts suddenly gone heavy. She sensed him move closer, felt his mouth approach her own. His kiss was gentle. Lip to lip, tongues only meeting with the fleetest of touches. In her mind she saw them standing on the deck, suddenly aware of Kallen at their back. His arousal growing as he witnessed them body-to-body.

Embarrassment morphed into something else. Into a new kind of pleasure. Having Kallen watch was—beyond good. It added richness and a depth to her commitment to Matt. She threaded her fingers through Matt’s hair and gave back more. Offered herself with enthusiasm.

His hands roamed her body, rubbing and touching and stroking her higher. She was going to need to jump overboard soon to put out the flames licking over her entire torso from his touch. His magic swirled around them. Not for healing, but simply there—a part of him, and a part of her now as well.

When another large hands grasped her hips, she froze in mid-kiss. Matt held her face, cupping her cheeks as he pressed their lips harder together. It was Kallen who grabbed the edges of her bikini bottoms and slipped them from her body, the thin fabric stroking slowly down her legs like an erotic tease.

Her heartbeat raced. Heat from the air shifter’s body brushed her from behind while Matt paused his adoration of her lips for long enough to stare at her.

She found herself lost in the depths of his blue eyes. Uncertain how she could want another when the man before her held her heart. Held her soul in a way that she never wanted to be freed.

A single finger stroked her skin. Kallen, smoothing his way up from the sensitive area on the back of her knee, up her thigh. Over her butt, pausing in the small of her back. Red-hot connection jolted through her as he flattened his palm over her lower back. He moved closer, and she felt his breath against her neck.

All the while Matt caressed her inside and out with his gaze. Held her tight with his love and longing.

Confusion, passion, wild desire and complete chaos tangled together in her mind, and it was suddenly too much. She broke free, chest heaving as she struggled to pull air into her lungs.

Matt’s face grew unreadable. Kallen watched, silent because of the curse, but she doubted he would have spoke if he could. Two sets of eyes, waiting for her to say what she wanted. Two men whose bodies clearly showed they wanted her.

“I need to fly.”

The words burst out of her like an explosion. As if all the sexual tension they had built in her core gathered together to send her propelling skyward.

Matt hesitated, his eyes dark, deep. “Then Kallen flies with you.”

God, no. “I need to be alone. I need…” Had to find a way to release the tension overtaking her before she did something she’d regret. Healing Kallen was important, but loving Matt was her future.

Wasn’t it?

If she were absolutely certain, none of this would be as difficult.

Matt’s deep voice caressed her ears. “I understand, but we’ve harbored too close to the inland mountains. If Kallen could find you, there might be others and I don’t want you to be harassed in any way.”

Another jolt shot through her system. Would she ever be free of this upheaval? “You want me to fly with another man?”

His expression smoldered and a million tiny fires lit all over her body, everywhere his gaze touched. “If I could, I would go with you myself. I trust you, and I trust Kallen…” Matt broke for a second, “…trust him to have only your good at heart.”

Laurin glanced at Kallen. The man she’d admired for so long stood motionless, waiting for her response. His body hard and beautiful in the sunshine. Jaw solid, but his dark eyes tender, and her throat tightened. The swell of desire that rose unbidden, it had to be wrong.

On her left Matt waited as well, every plane of his body familiar and well loved. He’d shown her the world of the ocean, and given of himself again and again, and yet…

The mountains called.

She turned and shifted, threw herself into the air and caught the minute breezes that changed direction every few feet as she fled from the deck of the Stormchild. Flew as if speed could help her escape. Not from Matt, not from Kallen, but from the uncertainty and the frightening thought that she might have to give up her heart to serve her people.

She couldn’t turn her back on destiny.

The ship receded rapidly, fading to the size of a child’s toy. As the land appeared below her, the air currents changed radically, allowing her to rise even higher near the rugged peaks. A piercing cry cut the air, and she faltered.

Kallen.

He trailed behind, letting her lead. Allowing her the illusion of privacy, but every single second she was completely aware of his presence. Knew when he turned with her, moving subtly into her air space. Felt the fleeting brush of wingtips against hers. She swore his gaze on her back burned, igniting the wick of desire she wanted to deny existed.

He was from her people, and a part of her past. Was he supposed to be a part of her future?

Onward she flew, attempting to find the answer. She had missed the familiar comfort of knowing when an updraft would hit as she rounded a mountain corner instead of the uncertainty of the ocean—she’d yet to learn to read the currents correctly. All she was guaranteed was that at some point in the day, someone would get her wet.

The thought made her smile. There was far more laughter in her life these past few years than there had ever been before. The People of the Air were volatile and impulsive, but they weren’t prone to many outbursts of joking or hilarity. In the ocean setting, she was guaranteed a slow buildup of joy each and every day.

Kallen touched her again, bolder now. Courting her as he cut in front and displayed a fine skill in flying. If she returned to the mountains with him, she could help rule. Perhaps take some of the lessons she’d learned and teach her people how to have a little more fun.

She admired Kallen even as the remembrance of lessons triggered an overwhelming sadness at the thought of leaving her students. Heartbreaking grief at the thought of leaving Matt.

It was official. Insanity had set in and there was no clear picture of the right path to take. One moment pulled one way, the next, the other.

Kallen stroked her again and her body reacted. Heat flared between them and she cursed it even as she welcomed it. After so many years of admiring him from a distance, to have him pursue her made her feel desirable in a totally new way. She wanted him, wanted to return home and see her family. Wanted all the past memories that were tied up with fear to be erased and healed with a future filled with serving and loving.

A future without Matt? Impossible.

With that, it hit. The utter certainty that no matter what else needed to happen, it simply had to be with Matt. He was no longer an option but a deep driving need at her core and a vital part of her life. Laurin cried out his name and wheeled. She would go to the mountains, would find a way to serve her people—with him by her side. It was possible for them to juggle the two worlds, especially since there was so much she could teach her people.

She prepared to fold her wings and dive from the heights, returning to where her heart waited for her. The flash of Kallen’s wing in her peripheral vision held her back.

Rejecting him wasn’t the goal, but accepting him in a totally different way than Matt—that she could do. She rolled, scooping under him and cutting off his wind, making his flight spin out of control briefly. Before he could do more than adjust his balance, she did it again, joy spiraling up in her belly as she considered what they must look like—two mighty golden eagles dipping and drooping like a birds drunk on overripe berries.

She knocked him off kilter three times before he returned the trick, catching her with his talons and spinning her away. Laughter pooled in her heart. He understood. He accepted. His touch turned light and playful instead of sensual like before and she rejoiced.

Laurin tucked, descending on the Stormchild like a bomb. She had to tell Matt before she exploded with happiness.

Chapter Six

He stared after them, the bright backdrop of the sky creating a canvas for their bodies as they rose so high their forms turned into tiny pinpricks of reflected light.

Stepping back as she took this flight was the hardest thing he’d ever done. If only he knew for certain what she would decide. He didn’t doubt her love for him—it was her sense of responsibility that stood between him and happiness. How could he fight a battle against exactly what led him to be the man he was?

He would never make Laurin choose between him and her people.

Of course, if Kallen hadn’t shown up on the scene, it might have made things a little easier. His jealousy this time was far less. He liked the man—damn it anyway. Even over the past day as they’d played games and worked on the Stormchild, he’d come to enjoy having another male around. A person who he could be a friend to without being the shaman. It was an experience he hadn’t known since his days at university.

In spite of admiring Kallen, Matt wasn’t about to bow out. If Laurin felt she had to return to the mountains permanently, he would not give up. They would find the answer of how to deal with their dual roles. Because being without her would be like losing his soul.

Matt sat on the deck, gaze still trained up on the sky. Laurin and Kallen had long since disappeared, lost in the shades of green and gray of the Caren Mountain range. The rocky crags hid them, the distance between them growing. And yet—he felt what could only be described as an undeniable tug.

He pulled off his necklace with its minute leather bag. He’d worn it ever since Laurin had given him the prayer stone after their first morning together as a couple. The magic of his people allowed it to go with him when he shifted. He’d never questioned the enchantment—it simply was. Like the tiny sack and its contents were a part of him.

Tipping the bag over, he allowed the smooth stone to fall into his palm. He sensed her through it, knew that no matter where she went, he’d be able to follow her. Some of his people believed the stones could guide them. That it held a tiny piece of home to draw them back to hearth and safety. He knew it was more, that the magic in the stone was not between a person and a place, but between two souls.

He cupped the smooth rock and rubbed it between his fingers. Eyes closed. Picturing Laurin in all her seasons. All her roles he’d come to appreciate—teacher, friend…lover. Partner in discoveries, playmate in their off-time. She’d been a support to him as he served his people, always open and willing to negotiate the differences between their cultures.

He’d learned so much from having her around. Her impulsive hugs and bursts of enthusiasm shook his deliberate approach to life. The way she could flare up with anger and just as quickly offer forgiveness—the first few times he’d been sure he would never be able to understand her. Now he saw there was strength in spontaneity that could benefit his people.

Stillness.

Quiet.

From far beneath the waves slapping the sides of the Stormchild, he absorbed the peace of the ocean. Breathed it in and allowed it to become a part of him. Waiting, like only the People of the Sea knew how. Water could wear down the mountains, turn them into a soft sandy beach, if given enough time.

He remained at rest. Reached out, sent his love, offered his support to allow Laurin to find her own peace. The wind flapped the furled sails lightly, the deck rose and fell easily.

Tranquility.

Calm.

A change occurred, first sensed on the air. That awareness he had of her ripened, turning lush and fruitful, and his hopes rose. With a rush she approached, lightness and elation surrounding her. He turned his face skyward and laughed as she joined him, shifting back to human a meter above the deck and tumbling into his arms. She knocked him to his back, kissing him madly, warm skin covering his.

“I love you. Oh, Matt, I love you so much. I want to stay with you, and be with you. I know it now, I know it…”

And his heart grew a size, filled with her presence and her confession. It was going to work out. He squeezed her tightly before forcing her back far enough to look into her eyes again.

“I love you too.”

She grinned, face radiant, the worried creases at the edges of her eyes gone. She scrambled to her feet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to knock you over.”

“I didn’t mind at all.” He replaced his necklace, coming to stand at her side. She tucked up to him again, breath warm as it fluttered past his chest. Her hands smoothed in circles on his back, the fiery trickle of desire rising between them. As easily, as beautifully, as always.

Laurin leaned in and kissed his chest. “I…”

She turned her face upward and he swore softly. Her magic snapped around them, vigorous and powerful, ready to be unleashed. Held in only by a thread of control.

“Laurin?”

“I want to heal Kallen. I don’t want to hurt you, but I care for him. As a friend, and I…” Her mouth opened and shut a few times before she grimaced. “Why is this so hard to say?”

Matt laughed, taking pity on her. “Because even after months with my sexually charged people, you’re still a modest air shifter.”

She blew her bangs out of the way and nodded.

He tugged her back with him, sitting on the deck head and nestling her between his legs. “Shall I help you say it?”

“Do I need to say it?” she whispered. Fidgeted. Wiggled, her embarrassment clear.

She was adorable. A little teasing wasn’t going to hurt. Could lighten their situation even. “I need to know specifically what you want of me—so yes, you need to say it.”

Laurin’s cheeks flamed red, and she glanced into the sky. Kallen had remained above them. He circled the ship, his wings barely moving but for slight changes in the wing tips. “He’s a good man, Matt. But I don’t feel anything for him like what’s inside me when I think about you.”

Happiness bubbled up. It was more than contentment that filled him at knowing he was her first choice. Allowing another to touch her—he could handle it with her full gift of love so willingly given. “Then we should heal him.”

She shimmied between his thighs, brushing his limbs with her smooth ones. The familiar tingle of desire that never really left him when she was around returned in full force, his body reacting. He rearranged his position until their torsos connected.

“You said…we need to…make love?”

He nodded.

She swallowed. “You don’t mind?”

It was the same question she’d asked before, only the intent this time was so much different. The first time she’d been shocked, dismayed even, that he might allow another to touch her. Now, the interest she felt wasn’t an either/or, and he smiled.

“I don’t mind that you find him attractive. You need to let your caring for him be strong. It’s the only way the magic will work.”

He kissed her. Reassured her of his love through the contact. Slowly her body relaxed, her fingers against his chest moving to explore. Slipping over his shoulders, dropping to outline the ridges of his abdomen. Their tongues stroked together, slowly, smoothly, tasting the pleasure of each other as if it were the first time. She nibbled her way along his jaw, tiny flicks of her tongue blessing his skin and heating his blood. Together again as they belonged, the whisper of an earlier lovemaking session meshed in, and he let the thrill of it spill back to her.

They were so much more than mere lovers.

It would be so easy to pick her up. Scoop her and carry her back to their bed. But in light of what needed to happen—and how tiny the berth truly was—Matt chose to stay on deck. Somehow, it was proper. The backdrop of the mountains rose behind them, the sunlight sparkled on the water. Both their spirits could be at peace here, and the magic could heal Kallen.

Matt drew Laurin to the side, leading her carefully to the foredeck, stopping to open a chest and pull out a thick blanket. Her eyes widened, and she flicked a glance skyward, suddenly nervous again. He grinned.

“Kallen landed already. He’s behind you.”

She twirled. Laurin covered her breasts with an arm, one hand falling in an attempt to maintain her modesty as Kallen stalked toward them. Matt held his breath. Was she really ready for this? It was one thing to have lost her inhibitions during the summer ceremony a couple months ago. There had been the wild pulse of the community egging her on.

Now, she had to make the deliberate choice to put aside her reticence.

Kallen slowed. Stopped a respectful distance away. Dipped his head, and waited.

Matt checked his own internal barometer. He’d been torn apart by jealousy not even a day ago, but try as he might, he could muster no grudge or anger toward the man. All his jealousy had been washed clean by the strength of Laurin’s love.

She turned to face him. Straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin. The soft cough as she cleared her throat made him hide his smile. Brave, brave woman.

“My love, shall we heal our friend?”

A flash of magic shot out with her words, lighting the area, fluttering the flags on the rails. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an “O” as she blinked rapidly.

“I think we had better, before you use that wild magic and we find ourselves flying in the Stormchild to your Rocky Mountains.”

The slight fear in her eyes faded, and she mouthed the words I love you. He winked before stepping forward and bowing to Kallen. Matt turned Laurin slowly, seeing the air shifter’s response as he admired her fully.

There were no more words needed. Matt kissed her cheek, then pressed Laurin forward, his hand on the small of her back directing her unsteady limbs toward Kallen.

The emotional roller coaster made her heart pound out of control. It was one thing to come and confess her love for Matt. Every cell in her body acknowledged that truth easily. To take the step and admit her admiration for Kallen? And now to witness his desire for her as well?

It was unnerving and frightening, and so sensual she could barely breathe.

He approached, wary. Like a hunter stalking a deer. She felt every bit the hunted, and yet the desire to turn and flee rapidly disappeared. The rising urge to envelop him in her arms and eat him alive grew faster than she thought possible. Laurin peeked over her shoulder. Matt had laid the blanket on the deck, and he stood to the side, watching. The most incredible expression covered his face.

Desire for her was plain. No denying it at all. But there was interest even now in his gaze as it shifted back and forth between her and Kallen, and she remembered his words from their loving the previous day. How he would like to see her in another man’s arms, receiving pleasure, if he knew her heart belonged to him.

It did.

She took another step toward Kallen. His muscles flexed in anticipation as she approached. His dark eyes flashed, gaze dropping over her body. Another pulse of heat flushed her and yet she paused. There was something just not right. No matter how much she admired the man…no. Not like this. Her hand rose of its own accord to reach for her lover.

“Matt?”

There was no hesitation. He was there, his fingers meshed through hers. He stayed behind her, his mouth making urgent contact with the tender spot beneath her ear. Goose bumps formed instantly over her entire body. Her nipples tightened, her core grew wet and she ached for him to take her.

Before her, Kallen waited. His expression hunger-filled. His body taut and ready—fight or flight. Or a hard driving desire to join with her. Kallen’s face revealed more than he probably wanted. That it wasn’t simply his need for a cure—her power alone—that attracted him. With Matt at her side, she could do this.

She held out her other hand to her fellow air shifter, and the final distance between them disappeared.

He let his fingers envelope hers, gentle yet firm. With his right hand he touched her cheek, a fleeting, delicate caress as he stared into her eyes. At her back, moisture painted her skin as Matt licked her shoulder blade. Kallen’s nostrils flared momentarily, as if sensing the fresh flush of arousal Matt’s touch had provoked.

Kallen leaned forward and kissed her. Lips solid and confident in the contact. Laurin waited for guilt to arrive, but in its stead, a blaze of yearning ignited and she was lost.

The kiss deepened, his tongue stroking hers, lips and teeth involved. Hands caressing, tugging, lifting. Swirling and coaxing a response harder and hotter than she’d expected.

Because it wasn’t simply Kallen. It was Matt as well. His mouth, his hands, his attention focused one hundred percent on her. Giving her pleasure. Stirring up the sexual flames inside to the point there was little left to consume without her burning up completely.

How, with only their hands on her skin, could they trigger such a response? Their mouths, the faint brush of the air from their lungs, the gentlest of touches from the pads of their fingertips—none of them in themselves overpowering, but as a united front?

Urgency grew great in her core. Needing—something more—and Laurin let her head drop to the side. A slow twist rubbed her torso against the smooth skin of Matt’s chest as he pressed intimately close. Near enough his arousal was obvious, hard and hot in contact with her hip.

Kallen’s breath sped up as he cupped her breast, warm air feathering over the peak a split second before his lips made contact. He sucked, and pleasure dropped like a heavy anchor from his mouth to the aching place between her legs. Laurin glanced down to watch, letting the eroticism of seeing him lick and suckle drive the experience higher. Her heart pounded, the tingle of her orgasm far too close to deny even after only the short time of lovemaking.

She’d been on edge since Kallen had arrived. Hell, in terms of being sexually needy, her entire world had ridden the height of pleasures ever since she’d gotten together with Matt.

A sudden gasp escaped her lips as her lover scooped her up and lowered her to the blanket, his body covering hers briefly as their mouths met. His taste—so familiar, so enticing—filled her senses. Memories from earlier days together swirled through her mind, and the ache in her body refused to be diminished. He chuckled softly as she kissed him back fiercely.

“I like how you cling to me, Moonshine.” Matt’s words tickled in her ear, his lips fluttering along the rim as he rolled them to the side. Laurin flushed as she untangled her fingers from his hair. She hadn’t realized how quickly she’d taken possession of him. Another body joined them. Kallen crawled alongside her, stretched out at her back.

Trapped between two men—one who held her heart, one who she admired and desired. The last lingering twinges of her modesty fell away, and she smiled, staring at Matt.

“I’m ready.” She levered herself up slightly to take hold of the firm muscle in his neck, licking it and suckling. Leaving a mark with her teeth and tongue to show he was hers. At the same time with her top hand, she reached back. Catching hold of Kallen’s hip, she tugged him toward her.

Their response came in a flash. Both men groaned, the utterances rising low and rumbling from deep in their chests. The sounds were primal and primitive, and Laurin welcomed the answering shot of lust that made her wetter than before.

Kallen rocked against her, his shaft heating her skin, moisture from his cock brushing her ass cheek. Matt returned to her lips, hands falling to her breasts to plump and mold them as the heat between them increased. The gentleness of moments before dissipated and the ride kicked up a notch.

When Matt left her mouth and turned to her breasts with his lips, forcing her to her back, Laurin fought to contain her cries of pleasure. That worked for a moment. Just long enough to notice Kallen was no longer at her side. Then her thighs were separated and Kallen buried his tongue in her sex.

“Oh. Oh yes.” Flustered, yet needy, she willingly drew her knees farther apart.

The air shifter muttered his approval and increased his pace. His tongue lingered over the increasingly sensitive peak of her clit. Fingers slid over her labia, smooth and teasing. He circled, and circled, rarely dipping any farther into her core. Never enough to make her fly over the edge.

“Bastard…”

Matt lifted his head from where he’d been worshipping her breasts. The tips of her nipples stung, the faint breeze against them cool after the heat of his mouth. He glanced down at where Kallen was tormenting her with pleasure. Matt took a deep breath, shaky and rapid. When he turned back to her, his eyes glowed—oh God, the fires reflected in them were powerful enough to nearly make her climax.

“You are so beautiful. So giving.” The words floated to her ears through a rising buzz as her blood pumped harder and harder. Matt stared, his fingers circling one breast, then the other, tweaking and pulling her nipples until she wanted to scream. The whole time he watched. Every touch Kallen made must have registered on her face. And when the air shifter finally, finally thrust his fingers into her core, the bright sky behind Matt’s head disappeared as her vision distorted. Pleasure was the only thing that registered.

Her climax rocked on, between the encouragement of Kallen’s mouth, his steady thrust of into her sex, and the expression on Matt’s face as he watched.

Her heart was full to overflowing. Love for the water shaman. There was no jealousy in him, she felt the emotions he shared even now. His delight in seeing her receive the gift of ecstasy from Kallen’s touch. His satisfaction that he would have forever in the future to provide more for her. Not only sexually, but as a friend and more.

Tears threatened. Laurin thought she’d managed to contain them, but when Matt stroked his thumb over her cheek, he caught moisture and wiped it aside. He didn’t need to say the words; his body and soul spoke straight into hers. Through their intimate connection of minds, he poured out his blessings. Swore his commitment and offered all his love.

That’s what the physical desire she felt for Kallen lacked. The element of forever simply wasn’t there.

She was a contented puddle on the blanket, and they’d only begun. Laurin sat up and reached to smooth her fingers through Kallen’s dark hair as he kissed her intimately one last time before rising, his face covered with a broad grin. He might not be able to speak yet, but his thoughts were obvious.

“He’s feeling a trifle cocky he made you come.”

Laurin smothered a laugh and threw her arms around Kallen first, then Matt, hugging them close. “I think you two are the ones still feeling cocky. Shall we do something about that?”

The words were so much more risqué than she would usually utter, and her cheeks felt flushed with heat. Their response was immediate, and the light amusement on the air faded. A sense of anticipation rose. The images she remembered of the woman at the center of two men, being loved by them both, struck again, and she shivered.

Then there was nothing but sensory overload as they turned their complete attention on her. The touch of Kallen’s hands over her waist, the flare of her hips. So good as he pulled her to her feet, led her up onto the raised surface of the forward hatch and twisted her away from him. His shaft sat solid as steel along the dip between her butt cheeks. Matt stood in front of her, lifted her chin and took her back up to breathless. Kisses, soft and slow, were followed by his teeth biting into her lower lip, his tongue smoothing the throbbing surface.

As Kallen stepped away, then slipped a finger between her ass cheeks, she stiffened briefly. Matt soothed her, petting her body, dipping his own hand down to stroke his thumb in tiny pulses over her tight nub at the apex of her mound.

Moisture touched her. Not just the liquid from her core coating Matt’s fingers as he cupped her possessively. She twisted her head to see Kallen kneeling behind her, his fingers well coated before he laid a tube aside.

She was ready to ask where he’d gotten it, the lubricant, but when he looked up at her, the words dashed away. She didn’t really care. All she wanted was his touch. A touch to echo the one Matt now bestowed on her sex. The aching need to be filled increased, and she widened her stance. Wanting to make this happen.

Soon.

Now.

A fingertip brushed between her cheeks, cold and wet. It warmed quickly as Kallen pressed in up to the first knuckle. Laurin deliberately relaxed as much as possible, but it wasn’t easy. Not with Matt lapping at her earlobe, his touch relentlessly taking her back up. When Kallen added another finger she felt nothing but pleasure. After the experience the day before—she wasn’t afraid of this. Not even when his fingers were replaced by something far broader. Thick, heated. Kallen pressed firmly forward with his cock until the muscle opened to him.

A low cry snuck out. There was no pain beyond the pain of desire asking for more. Matt held her hips as Kallen entered her, and she stared into the endless blue of his eyes as another possessed her.

There was nothing there that spoke of jealousy. Only her, what she needed. If she’d uttered a single word to indicate she was distressed in any way, they both would have stopped instantly.

What she wanted was more. The sensation of Kallen in her body in such a way—there were no words to describe it. Full, but not nearly enough. Small strokes of pain she couldn’t distinguish from pleasure. One rock of his hips after another he worked his way in, pulses blasting from the nerves inside to wrap her entire body in need. He touched his lips to her shoulder the same instant his groin went flush against her backside, and they both shuddered.

Matt stepped before her, his gaze mesmerizing. The touch of his hands, intoxicating.

Wordlessly, he lifted one of her knees, her weight barely held on the remaining single limb. Then she didn’t need to support herself at all as Kallen bore all her weight in his hands and she floated in midair, speared on his shaft. Every motion forced her harder onto him.

“It feels…oh God, it feels so good. Ah…”

“Hold my shoulders,” Matt ordered, and she hurried to comply. Palms glued to his skin, she wrapped her fingers around and held on for dear life as he stepped onto the platform she’d just vacated, placed his cock between her legs and pulsed upward.

So full, so much. It was both physical and mentally overwhelming. The thought of what they were doing was less intimidating than the why. And the emotions pouring from Matt…rich and full, caring and complete. When his lips brushed her cheek she realized only then that tears were falling.

“Is it too much?” he whispered.

She shook her head, leaned back into Kallen and reveled in the insane gratification sweeping her that two men desired her and loved her so much. “Take me. Use my magic.”

She opened herself, the cool source inside her breaking free. She’d always considered her magic like the wind, able to go where it wanted. Usually the only thing it allowed her to do was shift into any of the People of the Air. Now as Matt moved in counterstroke with Kallen, one long drag and thrust after another into her core, the magic refused to disperse. It clung to her skin as if she’d flown through a cloud, tiny droplets of water clinging to her limbs.

Then the magic coated them all. Flowed over Kallen, mixing with his natural magic that allowed him to shift. It swirled forward, and not only mixed but blurred intimately with Matt’s, and a sharp rush lit her, inside and out.

The rising orgasm—she knew how her body would react normally to lovemaking. What it felt like to come around a cock buried in her core, in her ass. But this? It was like the climax was ready to pour into her mind and soul at the same time, and the air crackled with potential.

Laurin stared at Matt, drowning in his eyes. Sharing her love for him even as out of the corner of her eye she saw her fingernails dig into the flesh of his shoulders.

Their speed increased, hands firm on her hips as her men anchored her in place. They surged in unison and she shouted. The constant rub against everything sensitive inside ignited a spark, raced along her nerves and hit the powder keg in her core and that was it.

“Now, Laurin, now. Hold on to me, love, and give to Kallen.”

The sky disappeared, because there was nothing but them. The pulsing of her orgasm as she squeezed them tight. The wash of heat as they joined her, Kallen’s body hard at her back, Matt enfolding her from the front.

And the magic? She swore they were flying, suspended somewhere far above the deck of the Stormchild. The next instant they were immersed in the power of the Pacific as Matt joined them with the ocean. Dove through her, translated her magic into something the air could accept and…

“Laurin!” Kallen’s shout rose to the sky, his voice raspy and harsh and broken as he shook with his release.

Swirling lights continued, the wind whipped around them, but through it all the blue of Matt’s eyes gave her a center of calm to cling to. He squeezed them shut for a second as he came, prying them open immediately to wash her in their warmth.

As if the ocean had surrounded her, bathing her with limitless love.

Somehow they ended up on the blanket, all shaking limbs, heat and sweaty bodies. Laurin closed her eyes and let the sun shine down on her and bring another kind of heat, so much less powerful than the one she’d just experienced.

Matt cradled her close. “I love you.”

He said it again and again. His lips made contact with new spots after every announcement. Her mouth, her eyes, her cheek, the curve of her neck. Something wet and warm touched her as Kallen returned and cleaned her. She hadn’t even noticed he was missing.

She’d been so focused on Matt, and that’s how it should be. But now…

Laurin rolled as Kallen sat beside her.

He grinned at her. “Simply saying thank you seems an understatement, but ‘My God, that was incredible’ seems inappropriate well.”

She laughed. “How about I say the incredible part. Wow.”

Kallen glanced at Matt. “I understand how tough that must have been, and I am grateful. More than you know.”

Matt dipped his head in acknowledgement.

A sudden silence fell, and for one brief second Laurin was floored by where she was. What had happened. Naked between the two of them, she had no urge to cover herself. She wanted nothing more than to stretch and preen. To let them start all over again. Maybe even try a few of the other things she’d witnessed during that ceremony. The picture of taking Matt into her body while she took Kallen into her mouth popped into her mind.

Instantly, she felt a grumble rise from Matt. “What are you doing, Moonshine?”

Kallen swallowed hard. “Is that…from Laurin?”

She snapped upright, sure her jaw was hanging open. “What are you talking about?”

Matt chuckled, and she quivered with anticipation at the tone of it. “You’re playing with the dirty pictures again, and this time you’re showing them to Kallen as well? Oh dear. You are the insatiable one.”

She pressed her hands to her cheeks, discovering them red hot to her touch. “What did you see?”

Kallen shifted position and stared over her shoulder at Matt. “I had planned on leaving you two alone, but I’m far more interested in staying. If you have a need for me, that is. More help hunting, that kind of thing.”

Matt laughed even as Laurin struggled to understand. “It’s up to Laurin. Let’s ask her.”

They tugged her to her feet. Matt enfolded her in his arms and guided her to the bow of the ship. The sun was just beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, the afternoon gone and the evening stretching out with all kinds of possibilities. He stopped at the railing and motioned Kallen forward. The two of them stood before her, smiles and admiration written on their faces as they turned to face her.

Confusion hit. What were they asking? Did they think she was going to choose between them? She already had.

“Is Kallen completely healed?”

Matt frowned briefly before touching a hand to Kallen’s throat. There was the brush of his magic and he nodded. “And you don’t have to worry about anyone trying to use that curse again. I left a trace of it behind like an inoculation, tweaking so it will backfire on the caster.”

She gasped. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

He raised a brow. “I probably couldn’t, not by myself. But you were fairly spectacular back there, in more ways than one.”

Laurin flushed and tilted her chin up. “So what now?”

Kallen bowed slightly. “If you’d like, I would love to experience a few more of your ‘pictures’. And anything else you would like to share.”

“As would I…” The hunger Matt shared was real, and Laurin’s throat tightened. He sent her a wave of love, of acceptance. Of desire to see her pleasures exceeded as she’d experienced earlier. But it was up to her.

Did she want more? Now for play, and not for magical reasons? She glanced at Kallen. He was beautiful and strong, and she would love to fool around a little more. But Matt?

Her heart.

They both stood, waiting for her decision, giving her the final choice after making it clear what they wanted.

There was no denying it, and the words burst out as she forced herself to not make it sound like a plea. “Let’s do it.”

Kallen nodded once, then dove into the water.

“What? Where is he…?”

“Getting cleaned up. For the next round.” Matt grinned at her and to her complete surprise, snatched her up in his arms and kissed her. Her legs supported under the knees, one arm under her torso, she felt like a modern-day heroine.

Except for the naked business.

When he finally let her up for air, she licked her lips. “Hmm, I could get into more of that.”

“Of course, after you get cleaned up as well.”

He stepped to the rail and she clutched his neck.

“Matt! No, you’re not serious.” Her protests fell on deaf ears as he tossed her after Kallen. The air whistled past rapidly. She slammed her lips closed to stop the water from filling her mouth, hands slapping the surface as the sharp contrast of her heated skin and the icy water surrounded her.

Bastard. She broke the surface a second later, just in time for the wave from Matt’s cannonball entry to wash over her head and send her sputtering. Then he had her in his arms as he drew her struggling body against his.

Interest rose in spite of the frigid temperatures. He held her carefully, his smirking expression lit with pure shimmering gold as the sunlight hit.

“When you least expect it—that’s all I’m going to say, Mr. Shaman. When you least expect it…” She kissed him briefly, the salt on her lips mixing with his flavor and making her smile.

“Hmm, okay. But for now? You can totally expect a lot more of this.” He rocked his hips against her and she laughed.

“How can you be hard when the water is this cold?”

He tsked in dismay. “Are you cold? I guess we’ll have to warm you up.”

A second set of hands roamed her body, and every bit of displeasure fled.

“Anything you want, Laurin. We’re yours for the rest of the night.” Kallen’s voice had settled back into the firm tones she remembered, and the shiver along her spine had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with anticipation.

It looked like it was going to be a long, and interesting, evening.

Chapter Seven

The ship moved easily as the morning tide turned, and a small yawn escaped as she stood waiting to say goodbye. She was tired in places she didn’t think ever got tired, but wallowing in satisfaction made the lack of sleep all worthwhile.

Kallen leaned in and kissed her. Thoroughly. With enough heat to make her toes curl. At her back, Matt cleared his throat and she couldn’t stop from giggling. Kallen smiled against her lips, and suddenly the passion faded into good solid friendship—the main thing she felt for the man.

“He’s very possessive,” Kallen complained.

Laurin winked. “Sharing me is one thing the shaman doesn’t do easily. Didn’t you notice that? He totally steals the covers as well.”

“Hey, you two.” Matt surrounded her with his warm arm and Laurin sighed with contentment. Boxed between two men who cared for her—how could she feel anything but ready to take on the world?

Kallen leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “We would have been good together, but you and he are better than good. You are in balance.”

A shiver stroked her skin. Enough with the omens. She laid a hand on his cheek and gave him a final quick kiss. “I’ll miss you, Kallen. Be safe—and when we come east, we’ll stop and see if there is anything we can do to support you against your brother.”

The air shifter nodded, his eyes sparkling at her before he turned to face Matt fully. He bowed formally, then grasped hands like kin. “When you stand in need of me, I will return. Or…” his gaze darted back to roam over Laurin’s body and she blushed, “…if you ever wish to play some more, I’m available.”

Matt pushed him on the shoulder, grinning good-naturedly. “Go on. Find your place, but know you are always welcome in our home.”

Kallen stripped off the shorts he’d borrowed, raising his brows briefly in Laurin’s direction before shifting and rising on silent wings into the air. She tucked under Matt’s arm and listened to the sounds of the ship, the noises of the ocean and wind making the ropes sing. Waves splashed against the Stormchild’s sides in a rhythmic pulse that matched the timing of Kallen’s wings in motion. Sunlight sheered off him, and they watched without speaking until his giant eagle form disappeared from sight.

Laurin was going to miss him. Strange how quickly they’d become friends. It wasn’t just the sex, as intimate and wild…and totally exhausting as it had been.

“Regrets?” Matt asked softly, his fingers caressing the back of her neck as he nestled her body against his.

She shook her head.

“You could have ruled the mountains with him.”

That wasn’t an appealing thought. “Too much like work. The air clans are all about power and hierarchy. You people of the sea know how to play more. And besides, he’s right—you and I—we bring balance.”

Matt turned her to face him. “You to me, and I to you. But I think it’s even bigger than just between us. Our people are going to benefit from the lessons we can share. It’s been too long since the air and the water shifters have worked together.”

Laurin laughed. “Some of the lessons are going to come as a shock.”

He grinned and nodded. “We’re still planning to go to visit your people in a few weeks, correct?”

“Of course. I think we should stop in at the Assiniboine tribe first though, and cast our support behind Kallen’s leadership.” It felt wonderful to be certain of at least a few things. “I’m not sure what we’ll find, but I now believe that whatever I am supposed to do there, you’re supposed to be a part of it.”

He stroked the back of his knuckles against her cheek. “I’ll go anywhere you need me to.”

Together.

She led him toward the wheelhouse. A sudden thought struck her. “Wait a minute. Kallen said he’d return when we stand in need of him? What was that about?”

His gaze heated. “Remember your science, teacher.”

She shook her head. Nothing came to mind.

When he reached for her and cupped a breast in his hand, his lips descending to tease and nibble on her neck, she still wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and she was growing less interested in finding out. Laurin returned his advances, attempting to bring their mouths back in contact. He laughed at her, eluding her attempts.

“Still not sure? When we want to start a family, we have some twisted magic to perform—air and water combined. And Kallen can act as our third.”

Laurin froze. “You’re… Oh my God, you’re right. That’s true.”

She couldn’t get pregnant right now. Didn’t want to get pregnant yet. But someday… Wild images from the previous night poured through her mind. Bodies tangled, the dual possession. Four hands caressing, two mouths teasing her passions higher.

Matt groaned and clutched her close. “Hell, woman, you’re doing it again. Making me see all the dirty things I want to do to you.” He grabbed her hand and forced it against his groin, and she grinned at the obvious power she held.

“Not dirty. Passionate, and perhaps creative. Exactly what I need and want.”

He grabbed her by the butt and a gasp escaped her lips as he manhandled her against the door. His strong body forced her back, his arousal a clear and solid temptation as he ground against her. She countered by building a scenario in her mind. Her, naked on the bed. Rolling to her knees and reaching between her legs. She highlighted his entrance to the room and poured a healthy dose of what she felt for him. The lust and the desire, of course they were a part of it. But more importantly, the love, and unending need for his presence in her life.

She packaged it together and then let it free. Her magic flared around them, hitting him solidly. His head fell back slightly and he groaned, receiving her gift, her passion.

Accepting her.

As well as accepting all the crazy things that went along with being partnered together. His responsibilities to the People of the Sea would constantly change, as wild and far-reaching as the ocean itself. Of her future amidst the air shifters—she had no idea what to expect.

They’d face it together.

His hands shook as he stroked her body, dragging his hands up her torso until his fingers were buried in her hair. Matt tugged her face up to meet his gaze full on.

He spoke, the words inducing a shiver up her spine at the need in them, the dark hunger barely contained. “I love you. All of you. With all of me.”

Laurin drew from deep, deep inside her to confess the truth. “My life would be so much less if I hadn’t met you.”

His face lit up. “Through the storms and the peace, I’ll stay with you.”

She nodded rapidly, choked with emotion. She had to say it—had to let him know. “Matt—you bring me balance.”

The ship rocked under them, but his grasp on her body kept them upright. They both smiled, joy filling up to the top and overflowing. The wind picked up, singing through the high wires, rattling the lines and the sails. Laurin’s hair whipped around her face and she pulled it back.

Matt brushed his lips against her cheek then pushed her lightly toward the stern to start the chores that had become second nature to her with practice. She watched him for another second, admiring his smooth gait forward. His lingering glance over his shoulder in her direction heated the warm spot in her heart like a glowing ember.

They moved silently, working as a team. Tightening straps, pulling in anything that could be lost if the storm raged too hard. Then they retreated below to the compact cabin. It was more than enough—the place filled with memories from the past months. Filled with hopes for the future. Laurin tilted her head toward the forward berth and Matt grinned as he crowded her into the tiny space. They stripped off each other’s clothing before their lips and bodies moved together in a perfect harmony. Outside the Stormchild the seas turned rough, rocking the ship. She was solid enough to withstand the challenge—well-enough built to face even an unexpected storm or two.

Laurin felt the connection, strong, wild. This time it was Matt’s magic that filled her, overwhelmed her. Brought her to the place that she knew she never wanted to leave. In the center of any storm, she’d found the place she belonged. With Matt—somewhere between both their peoples. One day, one adventure at a time.

About the Author

Vivian Arend has hiked, biked, skied and paddled her way around most of North America and parts of Europe. Throughout all the wandering in the wilderness, stories have been planted and they are bursting out in vivid colour. Paranormal, twisted fairytales, red-hot contemporaries—the genres are all over.

Between times of living with no running water, she home schools her teenaged children and tries to keep up with her husband—the instigator of most of the wilderness adventures.

She loves to hear from readers: vivarend@gmail.com. You can also drop by www.vivianarend.com for more information on what is coming next.

Content

Silent Storm
Pacific Passion - 3
by
Vivian Arend

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

About the Author