Page 94 of Desire

“Breathe, Lamb. Our vow to protect you remains unchanged.”

His words affirmed my worst fear—they would stand with me, even if it meant their quick deaths.

Near dusk, the forest shivered. I had no explanation for the feeling other than it knew something dangerous had entered its expanse.

I checked the lid on my well, willing it to remain sealed at all costs.

Perhaps, if I remained hidden, she wouldn’t find us.

The others returned, laughing and animated by their achievements. While they washed, I served the stew and gently expanded my senses. The weather would hold and continue to warm—a cloak wouldn’t be needed during the day any longer unless it rained. The beasts were restless and had surrounded the tracker, waiting for his meager fire to give out. However, thetracker didn’t fear them. His calm had grown with each passing hour, which didn’t bode well for us.

I considered leaving the bramble barrier around the glade but worried she would sense my touch in the obstruction, so I withdrew my intent and watched it wither. No one commented on its absence as we retired for the evening.

As I lay between Brandle and Garron, I silently begged my mother to stay Maeve’s hand until after they left the next day.

Restless, I slept little and checked the tracker often.

Before dawn, I felt his change: excitement, adoration, and lust, which grew even as his life’s energy faded to nothing.

“Are you cold?” Brandle asked, feeling my tremble.

“Afraid,” I said truthfully. He would know it regardless. “I know you worked hard yesterday. Can you leave at first light today? I made biscuits you can take with you.”

He petted my hair and agreed. “Wake the others.”

I watched him stand and pull his shirt on then I turned to kiss Garron’s chest. His hand moved on my hip as he woke with a soft grunt.

“Good morning, Snow,” he said softly.

“Good morning. Brandle agreed to leave for the mines at first light. He told me to wake everyone.”

A sleepy smile tugged at Garron’s lips. “Wise of him.”

He kissed my forehead then slipped from bed to allow me to wake Eadric next. I could feel he was pretending and knew he likely planned something indecent. Impatience tugged at me, but I pushed it back. Worried or not, if I acted too out of character, they would not leave quickly.

So I woke him with a light kiss on his cheek and found myself pinned underneath him, my legs wrapped around his waist and held in place.

“I have a better idea to wake the rest.”

He arched into me, sending a spark of unneeded pleasure through me.

“Eadric, Brandle is?—”

Eadric sat up suddenly, keeping my legs around his waist as he lifted me. Then he dipped his head and sucked my nipple into his mouth through the thin material of my shift. A small sound escaped me at the feeling, and I threaded my fingers through his hair to keep him there. His hands encouraged me to move my hips, grinding me against his hard length and feeding the growing pleasure.

Lips brushed the side of my neck as Edmund’s hands stroked my sides. They caught on my hem and slowly drew my shift up. Eadric broke away briefly, allowing his twin to remove what kept him from directly kissing my skin. I shivered when he shifted his attention to the other breast and kneaded my bare backside.

Tipping my head back, I allowed Eadric more access and sighed in pleasure. Eadric lifted my hips off his hard length, and a second later, I felt Edmund’s fingers brushing through my folds from behind. They worked together to shatter my composure quickly.

Panting and relaxed, I dropped my head to Eadric’s shoulder and shivered as Edmund slowly inserted a finger into my spasming opening.

“Have we appropriately repaid you for waking us so prettily?” Edmund asked, dropping a kiss on my shoulder.

I nodded as he carefully stroked his finger in and out of me.

Eadric’s hand left my hip to explore my folds with his brother.

“You’re taking his finger so much better, Sparrow,” Eadric said, kissing my temple. His finger joined his brother’s slowly pushing into me. I tensed. Edmund bit my shoulder lightly, and I spasmed around his finger as he withdrew. When he insertedit again, it was with Eadric’s. The burn, as I struggled to accommodate the intrusion, drew a whimper from me.

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