Cunningham, Pat - Legacy [Sequel to Belonging] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (41 page)

He shifted his long legs, knocking Wallace more solidly against Colleen. His sea-breeze scent assaulted her with its undercurrent of lust. She forgot about Jeremy’s blood and focused instead on the taste of Wallace’s lips. Jeremy continued to nibble on her neck and Wallace’s, while both men kneaded her breasts. Two erections vied with each other in prodding against her legs.

Gradually, Colleen’s arousal-fogged brain registered the absence of one of the cocks. She’d been so overwhelmed by Wallace’s attentions to her mouth and body, she hadn’t even noticed Jeremy’s withdrawal. So that’s what they meant by vampire fixation. She broke a deep kiss to look for her other lover. He stood beside her and the bed and pressed a bit of latex into her hand.

Colleen squinted at the condom. “What’s this for? I already told you I can’t.”

“Not with me. Wallace, we don’t know yet. Better safe than surprised down the line.”

Wallace snarled. “No way.”

“Way,” Jeremy insisted. “Until Annie can examine her, and we know for sure.”

She clutched the condom in her palm. A baby with Wallace would make her heart sing. Yet another disappointment would crack it. “I’m with Jeremy,” she decided. “Suit up.”

“This isn’t fair. I’m supposed to be the king bat. You’re not supposed to gang up on me.”

“Don’t be silly. We love you. Let me show you.”

Colleen kissed the head of his cock. Wallace hissed. She sheathed him expertly with a deft roll of her fingers and a light kiss on his lips. He caught what looked like a breath.

“Whoa,” he whispered. “Who knew that could be sexy?”

“It gets better.” Colleen lay back so that her head hung over the end of the bed. From high above her, Jeremy beamed down in sudden comprehension.

So did Wallace. “Whoa,” he repeated. “We got us a live one, Scarecrow.”

“We were trying to make a baby,” Colleen reminded them. “Anything he wanted, I was willing to try at least once.”

Wallace chuckled. “You do know a vampire doesn’t have much of a gag reflex, right? Since we sometimes have to chug in a hurry.” He slid his hands from Colleen’s breasts down to her hips while grinning at Jeremy. “You lucky shit.”

Then that gloriously rough tongue was toying with her clit, and thought took a hike for a while.

Colleen’s back arched, and her jaw gaped as she cried out her approval of Wallace’s technique. Jeremy positioned himself by her head and thrust his cock into her mouth. Wallace was right about the lack of gag. She had no trouble taking in Jeremy’s entire impressive length. The trouble came in trying to restrain herself. Jeremy liked a little scrape of teeth along his shaft, but she had fangs now, and Wallace lapping at her pussy made thought nearly impossible. She clamped her lips over her teeth and sucked hard.

“Oh yeah,” Jeremy gasped. “Just right.”

“And now,” Wallace said from somewhere in the stratosphere, “the stake.”

They thrust into her simultaneously, each thoroughly fucking his respective end. The explosion built in her belly and shot in all directions, rushing toward its inevitable climax. She rocked and screamed around Jeremy’s cock. As if her cry were the trigger, Wallace came inside her, hard and fast. He remained inside her until Jeremy caught up and came in her throat. She swallowed with no trouble. Maybe she didn’t need to breathe as often, either. Her lips skimmed Jeremy’s penis as he withdrew from her mouth. A talent like that would definitely come in handy in the future.

Wallace eased out of her and lay back against the headboard. “I don’t think I’ll be killing too many bats that way,” he said. “It takes too much out of me.”

Jeremy snickered. “Fun, though.”

Sated, Colleen sighed. Her eyes saw Jeremy. Her thoughts twined with Wallace’s, and she felt his big, broad grin without having to see it. Her heart returned to its new, slower pace, and his beat right along with it.

“Hey,” Jeremy said. Still on his feet, he stared out the window. “Hey, look.”

Just barely visible over the skyline, harsh flames leaped heavenward from the direction of distant Montrose Street.

Chapter 22

Colleen made it home with twenty minutes to go before sunset. She found Jeremy on the sofa absorbed in a textbook and dinner not even started. That’s right, she recalled, his classes had started again yesterday. “Hi, honey. I’m home.”

“Huh? Already?” Jeremy let the book hit the floor while he leaped up to greet her. After a hurried kiss, he glanced at the window. “What time is it?”

“Settle down. I’m not hungry, and Wallace can wait for once. He’s going to wait anyway while I show him our surprise.” She winced a little at the twinge said surprise gave her back when Jeremy’s arm brushed against it.

He quickly let her go. “It still stings?” he asked.

“A little. I thought vampires healed fast.”

“It’s pretty big. Anyway, it’s only been a couple of hours. Mine hurt for days.” He kissed her again, this time taking more care in where he placed his arms. “How’d work go?”

“If they like what they see at the end of the week, I get to go full time. The hard part’s staying awake in the early afternoon. It really hits me hard around lunchtime.”

“The kids take naps, don’t they? Nap with ’em.”

“I wish I could, but we’re not allowed. Maybe I can take my break then. If not, I’ll just stay part time until my body adjusts.”

“You sure you’re okay with this?”

She tried to make her shrug look casual. “Day care’s a lot like the preschool. Some of the children are way younger, that’s all. And it’s a lot closer to home.”

And Norelle wasn’t at Colleen’s new job, sidling around her, watching Colleen and especially Colleen’s mouth with that awful wariness in her eyes. Nor would these new children remember that other Miss Colly who had smiled more often and more widely.

Her thoughts did not touch Jeremy’s as they did Wallace’s, but somehow he always knew what troubled her. He hugged her again, mindful of her sore shoulder.

“She’ll forgive you,” Jeremy said. “She was your closest friend. She’ll be your friend again. Just give her time. Is she still getting counseling from Gus?”

“I guess. We didn’t talk much, my last day.” Colleen swallowed her bitterness and switched the subject. “I held a baby today.”

He brightened. “Yeah?”

“I was almost afraid to. Predator, helpless…you know. But nothing happened. She fell asleep in my arms. She was just the sweetest little thing. The scrapes from the playground don’t do anything, either. Sometimes I salivate a little. That’s it. Mostly I want to protect them.”

“Told you so.” He steered them both into the kitchen. “They’re your flock. You’re the queen bat of the day care.”

“Gee, thanks. You’re such a comfort.”

“Hey, if it works, don’t argue with it. Eggs or waffles?”

“Waffles.” Colleen went to the refrigerator, took out the labeled thermos, and took a swallow. She still hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask Wallace where or how he got it. She considered herself lucky she only seemed to require a single swallow every couple of days. It quieted that deadly little grumble in her stomach. The taste, though, put Pepto-Bismol to shame.

“Hey,” Jeremy warned. “No ruining your appetite.”

“Not a problem.” Colleen replaced the thermos. She stood by the kitchen table and watched Jeremy get out the waffle mix along with some bacon for Wallace. Somewhere along the way she’d lost her taste for meat. Perhaps it had something to do with mental images of animal fangs ripping into flesh. Maybe in time she’d get over it.

“I can’t turn anybody, can I?” she asked, suddenly.

“Probably not. You’d have to be a full vamp for that.” He paused with a mixing bowl in his hand. “Why? Got somebody in mind?”

“Not exactly. I’ve been thinking, though. They used vampire blood to change the women genetically. I wonder if it gave them vampire characteristics as well? Not the teeth or blood-drinking or anything, but the other stuff.”

He regarded her with a touch of suspicion. “Such as?”

“Longer life. I don’t think I’ll live forever, but my system’s moving at a slower pace now. If I stop and concentrate, I can even feel it sometimes. I wonder if my blood would work the same way?” She hesitated before she added, “On you.”

Jeremy frowned. “I don’t want to be a vampire. I’m happy just to take care of you.”

“I know.” She got up, circled the table, and pressed herself against his willing body. “Wallace is terrified of losing you. You’re already drinking his blood. It’s what, a swallow every couple of months? If I added mine, too, it might work. It might slow your system down, maybe just enough. You wouldn’t have to leave us so soon.” She stretched upward to kiss him. “We could still grow old together, just very, very slowly.”

“That would be nice,” he murmured into her hair. “Except…”

“Except?”

His expression soured. “I hate how it tastes.”

Colleen matched his look. “Tell me about it. Maybe if we mix it with something? Orange juice? Or gin.”

“No gin.” He shook his head vehemently. “Not now. You know better than that.”

“Sorry. Slip of the tongue. I’ve been experimenting with fruit smoothies.”

“You’ve been using my kitchen behind my back? Shame on—”

He broke off in mid-scold. His eyes picked up that special glow meant only for her and one other. “Wallace is up.”

Colleen giggled. “Places.”

When Wallace appeared at the kitchen, he found Colleen seated at the table and Jeremy standing beside her chair. Both beamed at him. Colleen was topless. Wallace smirked. “Would you look at this. Breakfast on the go.”

“We’ve got all night for breakfast,” Colleen said. “We want to show you something first.”

“I can see it from here. Scarecrow, I could see yours better if you drop your pants.”

“In a minute,” Colleen said, ignoring Jeremy’s snort. “First tell me what you think of this.”

She slewed around on the chair to display her naked back. Wallace stepped over for a closer look. “You got a tat.”

“I figured I’d better, if I want to be part of the flock. I had to put it on my shoulder. There wasn’t room on my arm.”

Wallace nodded. She watched his eyes trace the outline of her new tattoo, a bust of a beautiful woman with a tall crown, holding a magic wand. She’d thought she might have to explain it, but he got it at once. “Glinda.”

“You’ve already got a Dorothy. There aren’t that many other options.”

“I dunno, a winged monkey would really look hot on your ass.”

“Forget it. This stings bad enough.”

Wallace looked expectantly at Jeremy. “No chance in hell,” Jeremy said.

“Party pooper. Can we strip him now?”

“Don’t you want breakfast first?”

“Far as I’m concerned, that is breakfast.”

“Forget it,” Jeremy said. “I’ve got an early class tomorrow.”

“And you promised me a hunt,” Colleen added.

“Shit. Outflanked again.” Wallace yanked out a chair and dropped onto it, signaling defeat. “C’mon, there’s three of us now. What happened to the nonstop sex?”

“It stopped.” Jeremy held up two bottles. “Strawberry or maple?”

* * * *