Page 89 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

Zev looks at Jagger, then back down to me. Slowly, he drags one powerful hand down my arm, igniting a trail of internal firethat wakes up every sense I'm trying to ignore. My hunger for them has only grown, but I have to ignore it.

“I choose you too,” he says, and my knees nearly buckle at his declaration.

“Excuse me?” I asked. “You hate me?—”

“I chose you the second you put your life on the line for that little boy,” he says, stepping closer. “I chose you,” he continues as I back away, only to be stopped as my shoulders hits Jagger’s chest. “The second you didn't leave us at the mercy of Balan’s crew. I chose you the second I bought that private dance, I just didn't realize it.”

I have no words.

No thoughts beyond the shock.

Jagger’s hands are on my arms now, soothing and comforting from behind.

“We're asking you to choose us, little tress,” Zev says as he trails the finger tip over my bottom lip. “Not because of the mission or because of some selfish need. We're with you.”

There are a million reasons I should pull away from them, race over the border, and find a way into the palace by myself.

A million reasons for me to deny them.

A million reasons it's a bad idea to chain them to me.

But there is one driving instinct that's making my heart expand in my chest, drowning out every single reason we shouldn't and only screaming at me that weshould.

If there was any small chance that we survive this, being Linked to these two incredibly powerful and wonderful and stubborn males would be a fine way tolive.

Anticipation pulls between the three of us, tightening like a stretched rope ready to snap. I stop thinking about all the reasons we shouldn't do this and relinquish myself to the demands of my heart.

“Tell me again,” I say, my voice cracking. I look over my shoulder Jagger, then look at Zev. “Tell me you'll be okay with chaining yourselves to me for life. Because it might sound easy with the thought of me dying soon, but what if I live?” I ask. “What if we live through this and you have to spend the rest of your lives craving my bite, my body, my heart?” I suck in a deep breath. “You’ll always need to be near me and any days that we’re separated will threaten to kill us all. Is that really a risk you want to take?” I want to make sure that they've thought of every possibility, no matter how unlikely they are.

Jagger reaches down and interlaces our fingers, drawing my hand up to his lips to kiss the back of it. “I'm counting on you to live, dove,” he says. “I choose you.”

My heart grows like it's making space for the truth he's delivered.

And then I look at Zev, waiting for him change his mind. Waiting for him to go back to the way things were in the beginning with him hating me and barely tolerating my existence.

His golden eyes flash from my lips to my eyes, and he nods. “I choose you, and I choose whatever life lays beyond tomorrow.”

My entire body buzzes with their declarations.

They want me.

They want to beboundto me.

And I cannot deny how badly I want to bind myself to them.

“I'll choose you then,” I say. “I choose you both.”

The words snap the tension between the three of us, and Zev’s lips find mine in a punishing fury, Jagger's mouth at my neck, their hands roaming everywhere they can reach.

I cling to them, the three of us stumbling in a mess of shedding leathers and clothes as we make our way into the small, makeshift covering we’d built for camp.

The second we’re naked, Jagger is lifting me, positioning me to straddle his lap as he sprawls out on his back. I lean over him, kissing him, smoothing my hands over his muscular chest, gasping when Zev is at my back, kissing his way up my spine.

“Time for you to take a ride, dove,” Jagger says, hands on my hips as he rocks me over his thick length.

I tremble at the sensation, at the anticipation building in my chest, making my head spin. Rocking over him, I shift my hand between us, fisting his cock before situating it at my slick center.

I gasp as I sink down atop it, taking him to the hilt. I lean back into Zev, who’s worked his way to my neck, and allow myself a few moments to adjust to the sheer size of Jagger.

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