Page 36 of The Powers of Nyx

Maeve, as if sensing my questions, gently shook her head. I clamped my mouth shut and put aside those questions—for now.

“We should get moving,” Elias said, trailing a hand down Ivy’s arm. “The window is closing for the ferry, and we don’t have much time left.”

I swore, scrubbing a hand over my face. “This was a trap to keep us from reaching it. Fucking bastards.”

Maeve nodded. “That’s what I’m beginning to suspect, which means we need to move. Leave Jay and his teams to clean this up, he has it covered. There isn’t much we can do here without risking Ivy’s power.”

My mate shuddered at that reminder; it also meant she would need to recharge soon, to expel any pent-up magic through us.

Her eyes met mine and she nodded as if she, too, realised that. “How are the girls? Thea? Are they here?” she asked Elias, though she made no move to seek them out.

Elias cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “They’re okay. A little shaken up. They don’t know what happened.”

She blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay. Good. They don’t need to know, at least not yet, if at all.”

Glancing at Maeve, I motioned to one of the parked SUV’s. “I’m going to enhance the charms on one of these and then we can go.”

Maeve bowed her head, and for a moment, her mask slipped. Fear shone bright in her eyes, and based on the slight tremble in her fingers as she took Ivy’s hand, it was clear she wasn’t sure what was going on.

Changed vampires couldn’t live in the sun long term, and yet Maeve stood there, completely unbothered by it.

Had bonding Ivy changed something within her? Was it even possible?

My mind remained glued on that as I finished charming one of the cars. I motioned for the group to join me as soon as it wasdone and tried not to dwell on it too much when Ivy slipped into the backseat.

“Is it just going to be us or is Hawk coming, too?” she asked cautiously, as Elias and Maeve took the seats either side of her.

Maeve glanced at me, then out the window as the half-Fae took to the sky. “For safety reasons, he’ll watch over us and alert us to anything coming our way. And that means you’ll have necessary...privacy to recharge.”

And I was driving. I shifted uncomfortably at the thought, but reached out to Rowan about us moving. His voice came through the runes connecting us, and he gave the all-clear for me to go.

We had only an hour to go, and then Ivy would be safe.

13

IVY

WHATwas one meant to do when they were horny as all hell and trapped between two of their mates?

Sit awkwardly and quietly for the next impossibly long hour, was what. At least that was my plan. Sit quietly and hope I could survive the waves of lust overtaking my body. Not even pressing my thighs together was enough to alleviate any of the pressure building within me. Nope, not even trying to subtly shift would be enough, not when Maeve and Elias were impossible boulders keeping me trapped in place.

And if Elias moved his hand any higher...

“Are you struggling with something, Angel?” Elias asked, barely looking as he inched his hand high up my leg. I gasped as he paused at the apex of my thigh. “You seem awfully quiet.”

I cleared my throat and tried to ignore the throbbing between my legs. “I’m just really glad you’re all okay. And I’m so happy to see you again.”

From the front seat, Adrian snorted. “Your shields aren’t working, Sweetheart. And you’re forgetting: Elias and Maeve have enhanced senses, so they can scent your arousal.”

I closed my eyes and begged for the universe to swallow me whole. When I’d teased Adrian about sharing,thishadn’t been what I’d meant.

Beside me, Elias chuckled. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said, giving my thigh a reassuring squeeze. “But you’ll probably feel better if you use this time wisely.”

I glared at him from the corner of my eye. “Can’t I just...deal with it later? Isn’t being in your presence enough?”

He met my side glare with a half-smile. “You’ll be uncomfortable for longer if you treat it like that.” He moved his hand an inch higher and swiped his thumb over me. “You would be better off relieving some of that pressure now before we reach the ferry.”

My breathing turned ragged as I looked between him, the rearview mirror, and Maeve on my other side. My newest mate looked the most uncomfortable, and guilt swirled within me.

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