Sought(27)

“Brides-to-be usually start slowly, eating just a few bites of the fruit each day to increase their flexibility. They only eat a whole fruit on the day of their bonding ceremony,” Lock explained. “Just one whole fruit. I’m afraid since you ate considerably more than one, the effects will be multiplied.” He shook his head. “I really wish Mumzelle hadn’t planned the party for tonight.”

“What effects? What is this stuff going to do to me?” Kat waved one of the two remaining triangle fruits in his face.

“The bonding fruit doesn’t just make you more flexible,” Lock said carefully. “It also makes you more…what’s the word?”

“Horny.” Deep grinned at her but it wasn’t a happy expression. “I’ve been practicing my Earth vernacular again. Did I get it right?”

Kat’s hand itched to slap him but she somehow restrained herself. “You bastard,” she said in a trembling voice. “You’re telling me that I ate some kind of aphrodisiac? Didn’t just eat it but practically overdosed on it? And you think it’s funny?”

“Not at all.” The grin faded from his face and he looked at her intently. “In a very short period of time, none of us is going to think it’s funny.”

“What do you mean none of us? How can it affect you two?”

“We can feel your emotions, remember?” Deep tapped the side of his head. “Everything you feel, we, feel.”

“But it won’t just be us—though we’ll be affected most deeply.” Lock had a grim look on his face. “It’s going to affect every male in your immediate vicinity.”

“Okay, I get the emotions thing. But how is it going to affect everyone else?”

“Your scent,” Deep answered for his brother. “You already smell like a female in heat whenever you’re around Lock and me. This is only going to make it worse—much worse.” He started to pace as he talked. “You already look irresistible and now you’ll smell irresistible as well. We’re going to have to warn off every other male at the party tonight.”

Lock shook his head. “I just hope it doesn’t come to blows.”

“What party?” Kat was becoming thoroughly exasperated. “And why can’t we just skip it if it’s going to be such a problem?”

“The party our mother planned in your honor,” Lock said quietly.

“Which is why none of us can just ‘skip it,’” Deep snarled. “We have to attend and every other high ranking male in town is going to be there as well. The mated ones won’t be a problem. But the unmated males…”

“You’re going to have to stay very close to us,” Lock told her seriously. “Of course this wouldn’t be a problem if…” He hesitated.

“If what?” Kat said. “Come on, spit it out. If you know a way to keep every single guy in the immediate vicinity from humping my leg just because I ate the wrong fruit, then by all means, please share.”

Lock sighed. “If you’d let Deep and I mark you with our mating scents…”

“But you did,” Kat protested, in a low voice. “When you…you know, licked me. Didn’t you?” The memory of Lock’s head buried between her thighs while Deep growled in her ear and pumped her pussy with his thick fingers made her feel hot all over.

“I did mark you some,” Lock admitted. “I couldn’t help it. But I wasn’t tasting you to mark you, my lady—my aim was to bring you pleasure, so I wasn’t very thorough. And besides, my scent alone won’t keep other males away from you. Deep needs to add his scent as well.”

Kat put a hand to her throat. “And how exactly…”

“We need you naked and open between us.” Deep’s eyes raked her body, making Kat shiver.

“What…what do you mean open?”

“The same position we started in last night.” Lock’s voice was calming but somehow Kat didn’t feel soothed. “But you’d have to open your legs. To allow our shafts to rub against you. Against your—”

Kat had heard enough. “Huh-uh. Sorry guys, but no way.” She backed away from them, shaking her head. “I am not up for that. That’s too close to…Anyway, I’m not going there.”

“All right. It’s all right.” Lock held up his hands in a gesture of truce. “Deep and I would never do anything to you that you didn’t want us to do, my lady.” He looked at his brother. “Would we, Deep?”

Deep looked at her speculatively. “Not unless it was for her own good. Which this very well may be, as you know, Brother. After all, we can’t let her be attacked by every stray male who smells her scent just because she’s a little squeamish about letting us mark her.”