Page 80 of Hell Gate

“We can’t go again,” I sass against his lips with a tired laugh.

He bucks against me, massaging my plump ass. “Even if I didn’t have the strength to, I would, little flower. If you want my cock, then I’ll give it to you until you can’t take it anymore.” He claims my mouth again with a rumble. “I need to make up for all the times I resisted the desire to do this. And this. This.”

Valerian rains kisses on me, each one as devastating as the last, laying his claim to my heart and soul.

“How is she?” Matthias calls as he and Alder return to check on us. My heart clenches at his voice. “We’re clear, but if she’s okay, we should move as soon as we can. I’ve got the car ready.”

Alder kneels beside us, clasps my nape, and steals my breath with the force of his kiss. “We thought we’d lost you,” he rasps.

He’s no longer the stoic man of action, allowing his emotions to bleed through to engulf me. I swallow, pressing closer for another kiss to tell him how sorry I am to frighten him by putting myself in danger.

Matthias slots in behind me, ignoring the fact I’m still straddling my other mate’s lap, completely nude in the woods. His heartbeat thumps against my back and his hands still tremble, moving over me gently. I lean against him, craving being near each of them to settle the echo of fearful despair in our bond.

He kisses every inch of skin he can reach, brushing his lips over the claiming bite Valerian marked me with. My breath catches. It’s sensitive. I want the others to do the same with their own claiming bites to match it so I carry the marks of my mates.

“I shared enough energy with her through the bond to heal her internal wounds and external wounds to keep her from succumbing to the worst of it.” Vale caresses my arms. “Let’s go before we’re found again. Lily, if you feel anything wrong, you tell us immediately, understand?”

I nod, still exhausted but feeling more of my strength return.

“If need be, we’ll stop where we can and give her more of our life force,” Alder says.

Inhaling sharply, I grab at him. “What?”

“I told you, little flower.” Valerian rests his forehead against mine. “Demons can heal. I’ll give you as much energy as you need.”

I knew it was shared energy through the bond, but I didn’t think it was his life force. Is that why he seems tired?

I shake my head. “What if it’s enough to kill you?”

Alder hushes me, squeezing the back of my neck comfortingly. “It’s not. The bond wouldn’t allow you to kill your mate by absorbing their energy. Come on. I don’t want to linger here any longer than necessary.”

* * *

I’min and out of consciousness on the drive, still recovering from the curse. At some point, I remember waking in Matthias’, then Alder’s arms, sprawled in the back seat wearing only the shirt Alder had on earlier. They each give me energy through the bond, Matthias burying his head between my thighs, lapping at me gently for over an hour until I can’t take another orgasm, then Alder fingering me with the same steadfast dedication for an endless stretch that leaves me floating in delirious bliss. Their touch restores my strength, soothing away my exhaustion and any lingering aches.

When I wake again with my head in Matthias’ lap, the windows are down, fresh salty air whipping through the car. He has a hand out the window, surfing the wind while stroking my hair with the other.

“Feeling better?” he asks when I curl against the pillow of his leg.

“Yeah. A lot better.” I sit up and lean into his side.

The lines etched around his tense mouth relax, his gaze softening as it roams my face. He drapes an arm over my shoulder and kisses the top of my head. “Good. I’ll never accept seeing you hurt or losing you.”

“Where are we?”

His warm chuckle trickles over me and a smile tugs at my lips. “We’re almost there. The place you’ve wanted to see.”

A seagull cries somewhere outside and I peer through the window curiously. My eyes light up at the sight of a bay when we drive across a bridge, the hazy coastline beyond it visible past the barrier islands separating the bay from the ocean. This water doesn’t frighten me like the lakes, creeks, and ponds we’ve come across. The ocean smells fantastic.

“The beach?” A buzz sings through me at his broad smile. I’m not sure if it’s my excitement feeding to him or his emanating from our bond. “I thought the plan was to retrace our steps to get to a gate?”

“We are,” Alder assures me from the front, reaching back to touch my knee. I take his hand. “We were near here. This beach is closer to the gate we’ll use.”

“You said you wanted to go to the beach, pretty girl.” Matthias kisses my temple. “And after this is over, we’ll hit every beach topside and the shores of the underworld realms. You want beaches? We’ll give you all of them.”

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Thank you.”I love you.I love you all so much.

They see me. Understand me. Care for me in ways I never dreamed to hope for. Happiness overflows in my chest, despite everything at stake, the hardships we’ve faced, and the attacks of our enemies. They still found a way to take me to the beach.

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