Page 31 of Tara's Warriors

She felt a little faint, “Are you kidding? Bigger than Australia? That’s huge!”

“Not really,” Phin stroked his beard as he said, “Our Territory is considered medium sized.”

Karwin nodded. “Kadothia is much, much larger than Earth.”

“Oh my God,” she hugged herself tight. “And I’m supposed to rule it? That’s crazy.

“Relax,” Phin said as he pulled her to his chest, letting her nuzzle the soft hair covering his rock hard pectoral. “These are all things we can discuss later. You have had a lot to deal with, and we did promise to show you our true selves.”

Grateful for the distraction she cuddled into him, absorbing the soul deep warmth of his body and spirit. “You did.”

Karwin moved her hair over so he could nibble on the side of her neck. “Follow us.”

Trailing behind them, she almost stumbled into the wall as they shed their clothing while they walked, leaving her nearly drooling as they revealed their tight, bubble butts.

They entered a pale peach room that had a large tub filled with a light purple water, and something resembling sinks along with an easily recognizable toilet off in the corner.

Large mirrors edged in some mother of pearl meets diamond material hung over the sinks, and one wall held smooth white shelves stuffed with fluffy brown towels.

Or at least she assumed they were towels.

To her bemusement, she found a tube of familiar toothpaste, along with some toothbrushes on the counter.

Picking up the toothpaste, she turned with a smile that turned into a full out gape.

Near the tub, on a large tile circle made up of turquoise and more of that sparkly mother of pearl stuff, the men stood beneath a showerhead naked, wet, and clenched in an embrace so carnal she gasped.

Arousal shot through her like lighting. She dropped the toothpaste with a strangled sound, then gripped the sink behind her.

Hot, roaring, intoxicating male arousal poured through her like lava.

“I can’t breathe,” she gasped. “Oh God, it’s so good.”

The sensations died down just a bit, and she realized they’d closed down their side of the bond between them. Since she had no idea how to open or close her side of the bond, or even feel it, she was at their mercy as to how much she experienced. They’d warned her that the bond would get stronger, that she would feel them more intensely, but she had no idea it meant that she’d feel things likethat.

The water around their legs ran dark with various colors as the black began to melt out of Karwin’s hair, revealing amazing streaks of red, orange, and yellow. It was the most incredible hair she’d ever seen, and she gasped when he broke his kiss with Phin and glanced over at her. “Care to join us?”

His features were sharper now, more catlike and his blue eyes really did glow. When he smiled at her, his full lips, no longer framed by lines, lifted to reveal his sharp canines. Her mind was having a hard time reconciling this exotic creature with the man she thought she’d known. His skin was a gorgeous tanned shade, and she kept returning her gaze to his hair.

“Tara?” Phin murmured, drawing her attention to him.

His hair was still the same rich, deep coffee color as before, but all the silver was gone from both his head and his beard. The wrinkles around his dark eyes had been smoothed away, and his jaw was even more square than before. His skin was a few shades paler than Karwin’s deep tan, and he had dark hair covering his chest, arms, and thighs—so masculine, he made her teeth ache. She began to unbutton her pajamas without thought.

She almost took her top off when she remembered what she looked like.

Unlike the men, she was old. Her body had given birth, survived over forty-years of abuse, and she was nowhere near the men’s physical perfection. What if she took her clothes off and they were disgusted? They were perfect, and she was not.

“I—”

Her words were cut off as two naked, wet men suddenly held her between them.

“What is wrong?” Phin cupped her cheek with his hand.

Jaz had let her know that, when Phin did that, he used his powers as a healer to check her out. While Karwin was a Warrior through and through—a highly decorated and respected one, at that—Phin was equally praised for his gift from the Lord of Life for healing. He could literally help will a body to get better and could sense injury and illness. His skills would be super handy to have around, because Jillian was a rough and tumble little girl, much like her mother. Lacey had always been so adventurous, a tomboy who marched to the beat of her own drummer. While Jillian was a more of a girly girl—she loved her pretty clothes and playing princess dress up with Tara—she had her mother’s wild and free heart.

“A different sorrow, now.” Karwin caressed her neck lightly with one fingertip. “What has made you so sad, my bride? Please share with us so we may aid you. It hurts my heart to feel your pain.”

“I was just thinking about my girls and how much I miss them,” she hedged, not wanting to draw attention to her insecurities about her body.

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