Tristan agreed and took their hands. “Let’s get inside before we’re seen.” They went inside and met the innkeeper, a small older siren that looked at him curiously but kept her mouth shut. They got a room on the second floor—one where it would still be easy to jump out of the window if needed—and paid.
Seth sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as they walked into the room and locked the door behind them. “I’m going to go soak in the tub for a bit and reclaim the rest of my energy. I know it’s not the ocean, but it’s fine.” He shrugged, and Tristan walked over to him and kissed him deeply.
“We’ll be out here when you’re done.”
Seth winked, and Tristan relaxed. It seemed his mate wanted to make sure Amara and Tristan had time alone together. Goddess he loved that man.
Seth closed the bathroom door behind him, and Tristan slid the pack off his shoulders so he could face Amara. “You were beautiful out there. Powerful. I want you to understand that. Even with no training, you were power. I was in awe of you, Amara. I am in awe of you.”
She smiled at him then. “I kind of kicked ass, didn’t I?”
He licked his lips and leaned forward. “Yeah, you did, and you’ll only get stronger as you learn to use your gifts. I’m proud of you, Amara. I hope you know that.”
She lifted up on her toes and kissed his lips since he had leaned down so she could reach. “Being with you makes me stronger. Same as with Seth. We’re great on our own, but we aren’t whole. I know fate made the choice for us, but I’d have taken you and Seth as my own even without that.” She paused. “I wanted the both of you, I love the both of you, even if I don’t feel the tug, don’t feel the bond. That means something to me, Tristan.”
He cupped her face. “It means something to me, as well. Now let me make love to you, little siren. Let me feel you beneath me as I fill you up.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
They stripped one another slowly, taking their time to enjoy the touches, the feel of one another. Soon he was above her, his cock sliding between her folds as he teased her. She arched up into him and he took her nipple into his mouth. Her breasts were glorious, overfilling his hands and making him want to fuck them. Later, he promised himself. There would be time for that and more later.
When their eyes met, he slid deep inside her, their breaths syncing as he slowly pumped in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him deeper.
“Fuck the bond,” he growled as he fucked her. “Fuck it. I have you. I have him. I don’t need the bond, Amara. I just need both of you. You’re more important than that.” With each sentence, he thrust into her, harder and harder until they both cascaded over the edge.
She cupped his face as she came, her mouth parted. When she took a deep breath, her pussy clenched around him. “I want the bond. I want to show you what I feel. But if what happens next with the queen doesn’t allow the bond to happen, I won’t leave. I am yours as you are mine. Forever, Tristan. Okay? Forever.”
He crushed his mouth to hers and pumped into her again, his cock already hard once more. His heart broke at the lack of bond, but he knew he’d heal. He’d do anything for Seth and Amara, even break himself and his future to ensure the two of them could bond. They were more important than he was. If he could find a way to keep them as one, he would. If he could make it so the three of them were one, even better.
No matter what, these two were his. But he’d be damned if he’d allow a curse that occurred before Amara’s birth to take the rest of what should be his.
They would fix it. He vowed it, his powers sliding over his skin as he made love to his mate. The bond would come, but if it didn’t, then fuck it. Amara and Seth were his.
And that was all that mattered.
Chapter Eight
Amara stood at the edge of the castle grounds and tried not to let the rapid beat of her heart scare the shit out of her. This felt like a dream, yet she knew it wasn’t. Everything she’d thought she knew before this day had crashed around her, and now here she stood, in front of the siren queen’s castle, standing between her two men and praying she wouldn’t lose either of them in the fallout.
She let out a breath, rolled her shoulders, and then reached out for both men’s hands. “Let’s do this.”
Tristan looked down at her, his face solemn. “We won’t let her hurt you.”
Seth nudged her. “Hopefully, she’ll just break the curse and we can go home and have cake. How does that sound?”
She smiled despite herself. These two were so different, yet so adorably hers. But in order to make that permanent in truth, she needed to deal with one thing first.
The queen.
“Cake sounds perfect,” she said after a moment. “Let’s just hope for cake.”