Page 30 of The Erion Triad

These clouds were the same that had appeared when Lucie had touched the crystal. It could mean nothing good.

He spun towards his brothers. “We’ve got to get her out of here.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” Lucie trembled even more and tucked her head against Juliran’s chest.

“Let’s go,” Juliran said, his face tight and tense.

“No.” Kyel’s word was a whiplash.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Look at what’s coming in.” Zaen pointed to the window. If they didn’t get Lucie away, they didn’t stand a chance.

Kyel held Lucie’s chin, waiting for her eyes to find his. “It’s up to Lucie. Only she can stop it.”

“I… I don’t know how.” Her voice was no more than a whisper. Her skin had gone pale, her mouth stiff.

“What’s wrong with you, Kyel? Can’t you see she’s terrified?” Zaen said.

“The entity is stronger when she is scared. I think it’s kept her in a constant state of terror so it can feed on her energy. It’s some sort of energy vampire. But when she sang, the entity couldn’t get past that because she wasn’t scared. She was the opposite,” Kyel said.

Zaen regarded this brother. He had the same steely look on his face as when he was faced with an enemy and had just worked out how to take them out. Zaen should know. He’d been on the receiving end of that look many times and Kyel hadneverlost. It was some sort of innate knowledge in his brother. His gut. It had stood him in good stead throughout their lives. He trusted that. And he trusted his brother.

“She looks too afraid to sing now, brother,” Zaen yelled, putting his arm about Lucie’s shoulders.

Lucie trembled as another clap of thunder cracked just outside the building, the timing impeccable. She was hard pressed to even speak, let alone sing.

All Zaen could think about was punching the lights out of this entity that had tortured their mate. He definitely didn’t have a clear head.

“Lucie, we will not let the entity get to you. You are safe with us. As long as we are together, it can’t get close. Do you understand?” Kyel said, while Juliran tightened his arm about her shoulders.

She looked up, her face pale. She was so still, but then she nodded. It was only a slight movement.

“You need to trust us, Lucie. Do you trust your mates?” Kyel said, clasping her face between his palms.

She curled her fingers around his hands, her gaze focusing them in turn. “Of course.”

“Good. Then I am going to kiss you, Lucie. I’m going to take your mouth and kiss you so thoroughly you won’t be able to think of anything at all except for my lips and my tongue. Can I kiss you like that, Lucie? Will you allow me to?” Zaen trembled with the need to kiss his mate. His entire body thrummed with white hot desire. He reined his urge under tight control. He would not frighten Lucie, no matter how he might feel. She deserved tenderness and gentleness now, and that was exactly what he would give her.

Thunder rumbled, a deep booming sound. The glass on the bedside table rattled. Her eyes slid to the glass.

“Look at me, Lucie.” Kyel used his voice that brooked no argument. The voice he used on his subordinates. The voice that no one dared deny.

Of course, being their mate, Lucie could do whatever she wanted to do, but for some unknown reason, Kyel was driven to kiss her. It was at the worst possible moment, but if he wanted to comfort her, then Zaen wouldn’t stand in his way. He would help in any way he could for Lucie’s sake.

She looked at Kyel with large, trusting eyes and Zaen’s heart swelled. She was so innocent. So lovely.

“I will kiss you now.” Kyel moved towards her. Her lips looked so soft and they pillowed as Kyel kissed her, lightly at first, nipping, teasing. She was still for a moment, before her lips parted and she met his movements.

With a groan, he rose and captured the back of her head with his hand. He took her mouth harder, working his lips over hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she tilted her head a little more so that he could deepen their kiss.

Zaen’s cock twitched as he watched his brother kissing their mate. The thunder became a distant rumble as he sank onto the bed next to Lucie. She wound a hand around Kyel’s shoulder and settled her palm behind her on his thigh. He put his hand over hers and she turned her palm to link their fingers.

Juliran ran his palm over her thigh, from her hip, down to her knee, and up again. Kyel rose above her, not breaking their kiss until she lay down, her knees still hanging off the edge of the bed.

Kyel planted his hands either side of her head and rose up onto the bed over her. Zaen couldn’t contain himself. His skin itched, wanting to touch the smoothness of his mate.

His fingers hovered on the waist of her jeans, but the temptation was too great, and he slipped the tips of his fingers beneath the material of her t-shirt. Sweet heat enveloped his skin and he flattened his palm across her tiny waist.

Her scent washed over him. He needed to kiss her. Taste her. He flipped to his stomach and slid the hem of her top higher.

---