Page 149 of Home to the Hollow

His hand reaches up, and he runs his fingers over a mark on her neck that I know she can’t see. She shivers, and I take note: she canfeelthe touch of a mate on their mark. I glare at him and he shrugs, clearly unperturbed by my frustration with his manipulation of that particular trigger. Squinting at the mark near his fingers, I suck in a quiet breath when I see the shape in detail.

I expected it to be incomplete because he likely hadn’t claimed her with both of his supernatural beings. However, this mark is clearly split into thirds, and I might actually punch the son of a bitch. Being atriplásiais incredibly rare—so much so that it isn’t even taught to Guardians or docs. The control it would take to hide a third supe inside for over a decade is impressive, and I’ll have to call my mentor to discuss this further.

I only know about these uncommon hybrids because Yoshiro has served the Society for six hundred years, and his experience spans many iterations of our current structure. He only told me because they suspected they might have found a female one about twenty years ago, but it couldn’t have been Boone or Jolene. They’re too young and as far as I heard, that supe never emerged.Project Chimeratries to track all of the lost ones, but prior to its inception, intermingling was hidden.

We honestly don’t know what or who might be out there hiding in plain sight.

I wonder for a moment about Boone and whether he knows about the third side or that he’s not arealBoone heir. He has to, and perhaps that’s why he’s ready to turn his back on all of it for his new mate. The Senator would have bribed quite a lot of people to keep that knowledge under wraps, and it explains why he doesn’t showcase Edgar as much as he did when the judge was younger. It’s a big secret, and I can think of alotof people, including ones in town, who would relish using it to their advantage.

Turning back to our girl, I murmur. “Magpie, I believe you said you’d donesomeof this before. I’m inclined to believe it’s not asking three idiots to be your boyfriends. What did you mean?”

Her entire face turns bright pink and I smile in delight. “I said that. But I feel like we have to address the leather elephant in the room or I’d hate myself.”

“Leather… elephant?” Edgar chokes.

Nice to know she can embarrass the fuck out of Mr. Cool.

“Yes. It may not be the greatest metaphor, but you, Teddy, have a domination fetish. Little Wolfie over there likes to be topped, and the good doctor is a switch. I’m not stupid or naïve. If that’s going to be part of our lives, then you all need to understandme, and we will come to an agreement.”

Holy. Fuck.

Jolene may not like sharing feelings, but she has a handle on this without a doubt. Her glare tells me that she means business, and I have to recover before I answer. “Magpie…”

“Prez, she’s right. We have to say the words and you know it.” Lucy’s soft agreement makes me doanotherdouble take, and I look at them all in surprise.

Well, okay, then, small polycule of kinksters. Let’s set some limits.

Jolene looks at Lucy. “I know you said them to me, but are you comfortable with everyone else, or do you have a line?”

I wink at her, trying to ease the tension in the room. “I’m game, regardless. But I’d need express consent for anything more than typical club play—on either side of the fence.”

“Prez, y’all won’t be able to handle me.” My magpie titters as her lips curve up mischievously.

“Why is that, Tilly?” Boone is still in front of her, but I can tell he’s slipping into a darker, more dominant tone without intending to.

“I’m a switch as well, but I’m a bit… chaotic. At least, that’s what I’ve been told. I consciously decide when to submit and when to control, and it’s pretty unpredictable,” she admits.

“Sounds like a brat to me,” Boone grumbles. “I’m not worried about handling a brat,”

I bet he isn’t.

“Well, it’s more like a Power Bottom and a Brat had a baby with a god of mischief,” Jolene says. “We’re more trouble than brats and less annoying than powers. But it’s easy to figure out where I’m falling, from what I understand.”

Lucy stands and tilts his head. “Sugarplum, I’ll play however you like. I’m fairly fluid, and I don’t have a lot of lines to cross.”

That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one. Lucy’s kind is fluid as hell, and he’s comfortable withfarmore than I am in terms of kink. I’m a little interested to see where this conversation goes.

After all, once we’re able to let our beasts and powers loose, everything in this conversation will have to be re-negotiated.

Fucking hell. I’m going to need better restraints.

Week Three

“Idon’t like it,” I growl as the leprechaun and Jolene walk to mydrugar’scar. “Saoirse may be a Guardian, but she’s a loose cannon.”

“Don’t be a wet blanket, Boone. Magpie deserves some time to let off steam after that nightmare.” Hamilton lifts an arm, wiping sweat off his brow as we finish the clean-up in the gallery.

The people of Whistler’s Hollow aren’t accustomed to keeping things tidy without staff, and they’ve left champagne glasses, plates ofhors d’oeuvreseverywhere. Jolene refused to hire a wait-staff, saying it was an unnecessary expense, and she threatened to maim any of us if we did it for her. Our woman is stubborn to the core, and she’s determined to make her business work with no help. I admire it, but as a Society member and the local judge, I know she’s in for a hell of a surprise when she emerges.

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