“May we help you?” Nix ignored the inference and kept her voice polite, but cool.
“Nix, my dear. Lovely to see you. I was hoping to get some time with Ahmya and her boys.” Her boys, my ass. I bit my tongue to hide my grin. I loved when she got sassy and possessive. “However, I did want a moment of your time as well. Ahmya, dear, do you want some time with your men? I’ll speak to Nix for a moment.”
“Of course, Daddy.” I nearly gagged. I couldn’t believe she still called him Daddy. It had been one of the warning signs I had mentioned to Hiro when she first showed interest in him.
Ishida has no psychic abilities. His are entirely defensive. Keep your walls down; I’ll listen in and try and help. I waited for Nix to pass me and continue towards the kitchen with the Councilman.
Don’t let her badmouth Hiro. I don’t think slapping that bitch in front of her father will encourage support from the Council.
You’re on your own guys. I’m heading up with Theo. I can’t be around this viper. And if that man says something rude to Nix, I’m not the best one to handle it because I will kick his ass, Killian’s mental voice was a snarl as he disappeared up the stairway.
Hiro, ever the gentleman, directed Ahmya to a seat in the living room. I leaned against the doorway, allowing myself to be removed enough to focus efficiently on both conversations. Ryder and Hiro sat down on chairs opposite of Ahmya, ignoring her encouragement for them to join her on the couch as she patted the cushions and let her dress slide indecently high up her thighs. Now, I was all for a girl dressing however she was comfortable and confident. However, I happened to know Ahmya didn’t dress this way for that reason. She dressed provocatively in the hopes of enticing one of my brothers or me, or even another powerful shifter—she wasn’t exactly picky—into making a pronouncement of intent. She wanted to trap one of us into a mating and pull the others she wanted in as well, discarding any she saw as unworthy of her.
“Daddy is inviting that—friend—of yours to a party that I’m holding on Saturday.” Ahmya arched her back, thrusting her breasts at us, and I could see Ryder had to work hard to keep from rolling his eyes. “I’d like you three to come as well. I’m going to host it at Daddy’s Anchorage estate. You haven’t been to any of my parties in months.” She pouted prettily, turning herself to her best angle. “All of us have been missing you. Alex said he hasn’t heard from you in weeks.”
“Ahmya, you know why we haven’t been there.” Ryder’s voice was hard. “There’s no relationship between us. You need to move on.”
“I know that girl has got you a little confused, but you know as well as I do that a match between you is illogical.” Ahmya’s voice was wheedling. “The Council wants to foster more ceraptors like Ryder, and they want more celestial kitsune like my Daddy, which Hiro has every chance of producing. I know your little friend is rare and powerful, and the possibility of your offspring…” she spit the word distastefully, “… being phoenix is highly likely. The Council won’t like the possibility that her lineage will overpower yours or vice versa. You see? It’s doomed to fail, and you’re just wasting your time.” The way she sang her words grated on me. “If she wanted Killian or Theo, they’d probably allow it as having more of either of their creatures is of no significance. But the rest of you?” She shook her head. “Her bearing as many phoenix children as possible is the most important thing, as is you breeding more of your own species. They won’t risk her with a human or a common shifter; they don’t want to water down the line. However, with me, Hiro has every possibility of fathering a celestial kitsune; and Ryder, any child we produced, would undoubtedly be a ceraptor. I’m a perfect fit for you. Anyway, Daddy says they want her mated in the next few months. It’s why he’s insisting on this party.”
Through the connection, I felt Nix freeze, her attention on the Councilman requesting her presence at a party this weekend moving closer to our conversation in the living room. She was pissed off, self-conscious, and confused. The politics of our world were complex and antiquated. She didn’t know whether to be angry at Ahmya or the Council.
Sweetheart, she’s wrong. We’ll make it work. We all want you. I know we haven’t defined our relationship yet, but we all want one with you.
She relaxed some, returning her attention to the Councilman. She still wasn’t feeling well and wanted to refuse the so-called invitation, but she knew as well as we did that it was a command.
We will be going, Annie girl. Killian’s voice through the link was strong. Not because Ahmya invited us, and not because we’re looking for someone else to fill our time. We’re going to go with you to support you and to have fun.
Besides, you said you wanted to dance with us, mikró pouláki. Ryder’s voice was teasing and flirty, and I could feel her humor respond to his.
“We’ll go, Ahmya.” Hiro’s voice was hard as he stood, indicating for her to do the same. “We’re going with Nix. Politics be damned. There’s no relationship between us, there never truly was. Now, I think it’s about time for you to go.”
I could hear Nix assuring the Councilman that she would keep her promise and attend the event he had planned. “Your father will be done in a moment. You heard my brothers; you heard Nix’s warning, now hear mine.” I stepped closer, keeping my words from the Councilman’s prying ears. “We do not want you as our mate. We will not break our group. You cannot entice one, or any, of us to bond with you. We will not fall for your games. Do not attempt to make us publicly claim you. It will not end well.”
Ryder stepped up as well. “We will have Nix. Politics and lineage be damned. She’s ours, and we’re hers.” I could feel Nix’s appreciation for our championship of her, running through our bond. Nix led Councilman Ishida back into the room, and Ahmya joined him, adjusting the hem of her skirt.
“The party begins at seven on Saturday. We’ll see you there.” Ahmya’s voice was cool, though she tilted her hips and smiled flirtatiously.
“It was good to see you again, Nix. I hope this party will be good for you. Hiro, Ryder, Damien, I know Ahmya will appreciate having you boys there. She’s missed you fiercely.”
Nix closed the door behind them as they left, nearly shaking with exhaustion and fury. “Well, with those assholes gone I’m going back to bed.” Her movements were stiff and sharp as she headed for the staircase. Hiro caught her around the waist before she got more than a few steps up, pinning her to the wall behind her.
“Do you honestly think we have feelings for her? Do you think that we have thought of any other woman since you walked into our lives?” Hiro’s voice was hot and firm as he pressed her into the wall, slipping a leg between her thighs. “We’re mad for you, sweet girl. Each and every one of us. When you’re no longer sick, we’ll show you just how much you’re driving each of us wild. For now, however…” He trailed off, looking to me. I grinned wickedly and—pushing hard—sent every last bit of attraction, arousal, and desperation we were all feeling directly into her. She gasped, arching hard against Hiro’s hips and shivering in his hold. “There’s my good girl.” His lips brushed hers, just a whisper. “Time to get you back into bed.”
Twenty-Seven
Nix