Cian’s hands ran down her shoulders. “That’s why I’m here, brother. I’ll take care of her.”
Meg leaned back and let Cian press his lips to hers. He was the soft touch. Though he’d been trying to be what she needed, he couldn’t really work up the will to truly dominate her. He’d rather worship her and coddle her. He was the soft side of the man.
Beck pulled her attention back to him. He was the rough side. He was the dominant side that took what he wanted. It said something about the man that even his dominant half would never hurt her. He was hard and possessive, and they would all be so much happier now that he’d stopped fighting his true nature.
“I want a yes, Meg,” Beck said quietly. “I want a yes, but before you say it, know that you can’t take it back. Once you say yes, I won’t ever let you go. You’ll fight me every day for control. I’ll try my damndest to make decisions for you. I can’t help what I am. Cian will balance me by being the biggest pussy on the plane when it comes to you.”
Cian grinned. “I have no shame about that.”
Meg’s heart swelled with love for them. It was hard because they were really one person in two bodies, their personalities stronger for it. Beck had to struggle with his own instincts because all the pieces that would balance him were in Cian. Cian felt weak and often unappreciated because the arrogance was mostly housed in Beck. She could help them once they bonded fully. They needed her.
“Yes, Beck,” she said without hesitation. “Though I think you’ll find me more difficult to deal with than you imagine. But, I promise when we’re intimate, I will be your perfect little slave.”
A happy little smile curled around his sensual mouth. “I’ll try to take more, wife. I’m a bloody selfish bastard.”
Meg leaned forward. “You’re welcome to try, husband.”
He kissed her roughly. “I promise I will. Now, you have a duty to us, wife. You will wash your husbands’ hair, and then we’ll join the villagers. I assume there’s a party. When I’m away, Ci always throws a party.”
Cian was already getting his hair wet. “The ale is already flowing freely, brother.”
Beck shook his head. “We’ll partake, then. I want the villagers to see how happy our bride has made us. Then, later tonight, we bond. All three of us.”
Meg caught his strong jaw in her hands. “It’s going to be fine, Beck. I love you. Ci loves you. Nothing is going to change that.”
“Nothing,” Cian promised.
Beck allowed Meg to start soaping his hair. She could see he hoped Cian’s words would prove true.
Chapter Eighteen
“They look so perfect together,” the girl sighed to her friend. She couldn’t be more than sixteen, with soft skin and shiny hair. Her eyes were wide and clear, and her mouth was a perfect bow on her heart-shaped face.
Liadan hated her.
She hated her and all the little twits like her. They took their youth and beauty for granted. They wasted those perfect years. They didn’t deserve their fine porcelain skin or firm bodies. If they understood an ounce of what she had to go through for a fraction of their youthful glow, they would be staggered by her strength.
“Bri, you’re such a romantic. My mum feels sorry for the queen,” the girl’s equally young friend said.
The golden-haired girl named Bri looked offended. She was obviously a fan of the twins. The girls sat at the edge of a crowd that gathered near a huge bonfire. There was much entertainment at this celebration, but Bri kept watching the kings and their queen. Beckett Finn had returned, and the villagers were effusive in welcoming their warrior king back.
“How can anyone feel sorry for Queen Meg? She has two gorgeous, strong husbands,” Bri argued.
The brown-haired friend shook her head. “My mum says that the queen must be sore all the time. I don’t know why. Do you think they make her work the fields with them?”
Liadan stifled a laugh. She was pretty sure the girl’s mum was right. Now that Beckett Finn had given in to his bride’s charms, she was certain little Meg had her fill of men jumping on top of her. Beck had been polite and careful with Liadan physically, but he was a big man, and he could last forever. She felt his possession for days after that first time with him. She couldn’t imagine having to sexually satisfy both of them.
Queen Meg sat in one of the brother’s laps. Liadan thought it was Beck from the arrogant way he held himself. His strong arm was firmly, possessively around the woman’s waist. He adjusted her, and Liadan could see he was pulling her firmly into his groin to hide his erection. Cian leaned over with a knowing smile and whispered something to his wife. She laughed with far too much enthusiasm for a royal lady and kissed Cian full on the lips. Liadan shook her head in disgust. The human comported herself with all the subtlety of a tavern whore.
“The queen doesn’t work the fields,” Bri said smugly. “That is King Cian’s duty. He’s the Green Man.”
Liadan felt her face lose its mask of cool indifference for a moment. They couldn’t be taking the old myths seriously. She closed her eyes and called on her inner calm. She needed to be practically invisible tonight. She moved back into the shadows.
If these idiots began to believe the twins had gained true triad powers, Torin was in trouble. The Fae had not seen a true triad for a thousand years. The last set of symbiotic twins to bond with a strong enough mate had taken over Tir na nÒg, and their line had ruled for hundreds of years. Liadan didn’t believe for an instant that Cian was a Green Man or that Beck had incredible reserves of strength. They were just men, but the idea that they were something greater could cause just as much trouble as it actually being true.
The political ramifications alone were awful. If the vampires became involved, Torin would have a fight on his hand. He was already forced to deal with a rebellion every few months. If word got back to the home plane that the twins were alive and had ascended to virtual godhood, there would be no stopping the citizens.
They would come for Torin, and his army of mercenaries wouldn’t be able to stop them. To keep Torin on the throne, the twins must die. The first thing she needed to do was get rid of the bitch in Beck’s arms. It was the simplest way. Cian would fade quickly if his beloved left him. Megan Finn needed to leave her husbands. Liadan had only found one way to make that happen.
She needed to place a call to a very specific deliveryman. Unfortunately, she couldn’t send a note and ask him to call upon her. She needed something to tempt him. Liadan decided little Bri would work perfectly well. There was no way the little idiot wasn’t a virgin. Demons highly prized virginity for some insane reason.
There was a purring sound at her feet, and Liadan sighed in delight. Ain always knew when she was needed. Liadan reached over and picked up the solid black cat. She held the familiar to her breast, enjoying the purring sensation along her skin. Ain had been with her since she was a child. She had always been a strong presence, reminding Liadan of her unique talents in a world of mundane idiots.
The cat’s huge eyes glowed in the dim light.
“You know who I want?”
The cat licked her lips and purred contentedly. She knew what to do. Liadan winked at her familiar and placed her back on the ground.
“Bring her to me.” She didn’t need to add the admonition to be careful. Ain was always careful. She would work her magic and lead little Bri to the proper place at the proper time. No one would suspect that Liadan had anything to do with it.