4

RAVEN

We meet one of the monsters not Grom, but one of his followers, at the same howling tavern where I first heard about this contract work.

Kael was right. There is an extra payment for finishing the first phase so quickly. He takes the cash, splits it into four equal parts, and hands me my share.

I have to give him credit. He really did share the money fairly. It would have been easy for them to cheat me, especially since I did not even know an extra payment was coming.

I take my money and move to the far end of the bar to buy a drink.

This extra cash is not enough to change my life, so I might as well spend it on drinks. I am holding out for the final payment, but that will only come when the whole job is done.

The brothers sit in a booth and order drinks.

“Hey, Raven,” Fenris calls out. “Come sit with us.”

“I am fine here,” I say.

We worked well together today, but I will not forget what they are.

Shifters.

They are likely from Shadowmere, since they are all different types of animals. They do not belong to a clan. They are outsiders who were kicked out of other groups.

That means they might understand what I am going through.

No, that is wrong.

It means they will fight hard to protect the safe place they have built. Shadowmere is no place for a fae like me, even if I have wolf blood in me too.

“Come on,” Fenris says.

He slides out of the booth and walks toward me.

“We are friends now, right?”

He takes my hand and pulls me up.

I pull my hand back. “I just want to finish my drink and go home.”

“No,” he says. “We are a team now.”

He puts his arms around my shoulders.

I let him do it. His body feels warm against mine. I have been alone for a long time.

I tell myself not to get close to these shifters. I know I should not.

Still, I let Fenris lead me back to their booth and sit me down.

Drakon moves over to make room. Kael smiles at me.

“What are you drinking?” Kael asks.

“Just a beer,” I say, holding up my glass.

“That will not do,” Kael says. “Drakon, buy her a shot. We would not be here tonight without her.”

“I would have tracked down those monsters eventually,” Fenris says.

“Eventually is the main word there,” Drakon laughs.

“Kael is right. We would still be searching in the dark.”

He stands up.

“I will get drinks for everyone.”

“Sounds good,” Kael says.

Drakon walks over to the bar.

Fenris leans in close to me.

“You are a great tracker. Did your clan teach you that?”

“No,” I say. “It is just something I learned on my own.”

“By yourself?” Kael takes a sip of his drink. “You must be sharp.”

“I have lived on my own for a long time,” I say. “It is not a big deal.”

But it really is.

“You know about Shadowmere, right?” Kael asks.

I feel annoyed inside, but I keep my face calm.

“I have heard about it.”

“If you do not have a clan, it is a good place to live,” he says. “Anyone can join.”

They say that now, but I know better.

“Thanks, but I am fine on my own.”

Drakon returns just in time with a tray full of shots.

The conversation about my life stops.

We all reach out and grab a glass.

“To a job well done!” Kael says, drinking his shot.

“To a good team,” Fenris says, swallowing his.

I tilt my head back and drink mine.

The liquid burns my throat, and the warmth feels good.

I grab another glass.

The tray is full, and there are plenty of drinks left.

By the third shot, my worries start to fade.

I am laughing now.

I lean my shoulder against Drakon.

Someone’s foot moves slowly against the inside of my leg.

Normally, I would pull away, but right now, I do not want to stop it.

I have not been touched like this in a very long time.

“Do you have a place to stay tonight?” Drakon whispers in my ear.

He is sitting so close to me.

The space between us feels like it is disappearing.

If I lean in a little more, I could pull him closer, and I really want to.

“I have my loft apartment,” I say.

“Really?” Kael asks. “Your own place?”

“Can we see it?” Fenris asks.

I laugh.

“Why? Where do you live?”

“We have a place in Shadowmere,” Drakon says. “We can go there if you prefer.”

I am still clear-headed enough to know I do not want to go there.

“We can go to my loft apartment,” I say.

I wonder if I am making a mistake with these three men.

But a hand moves onto my knee and starts sliding higher up my leg.

It is getting harder to refuse.

I do not want to say no.

Someone pays the bill.

I am not thinking about money anymore.

I am focusing on the hand on my waist, with fingers slipping under the waistband of my pants.

I feel the broad chest pressed against my back, holding me up so I do not even have to stand on my own.

I feel him hard against me, and I know that behind their calm act, they want me just as much as I want them.

Am I really going to sleep with all three of them?

If I had to pick just one right now, I could not do it.

I do not want just one of them.

I want all of them together.

Just like we worked as a team on the job, I want us to work as a team in my bed.

I must be losing my mind.