Gabriel scooped her into his arms and sat on the sofa, cradling her. She shifted to straddle his lap and wrap her arms around him, as she buried her face in the curve of his neck. His embrace the solace she needed to calm her mixed-up emotions.
She could live with never seeing her birthplace again. These men were her future. Being with them felt right. And she’d have the comfort of knowing she’d saved Atlantis from a ruler that would’ve resulted in her homeland’s decline. The things she’d seen in Lucius’ head that she hadn’t forced him to share…he would’ve debilitated Atlantis and its citizens.
“I’m sorry you’re upset, Sameya.” Reminiscent of a feline, Gabriel rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Maximus and I will do everything in our power to make you happy.”
The sofa shifted, she suspected it was Maximus taking a seat beside them.
Leaning back, she confirmed the vampyr’s presence as she met her cat’s gaze. “Don’t misunderstand my grief, Gabriel. The idea of never seeing Atlantis….” She choked up all over again. He captured her face and kissed her forehead.
“I understand.” Maximus shifted onto his knees and massaged the back of her neck. “My family disowned me for mating Gabriel.”
How horrible! “I’m sorry, Maximus.”
“I’m not. He’s worth the sacrifice…when he’s not being a pussy.” He winked at the shifter.
She smiled as Gabriel growled at Maximus. The guys chuckled. Amazing how quickly these two had burrowed into her heart. “You two are my future.” She kissed both of them, astonished how important they’d become to her in such little time. “Take me to your…no. Take me to my new home and officially claim me.”
She wanted to be theirs more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.
“‘Officially’ doesn’t matter. You’re already ours, naleah. We”—Maximus motioned between himself and Gabriel—“never planned to give you up.”
Sameya peered between them.
“Nope,” Gabriel confirmed. “We were committed to convincing you we’re worth keeping around.”
“Kidnapping you if necessary,” Maximus’s deadpan was so convincing she was uncertain of his sincerity.
Gabriel nodded his agreement.
Shaking her head at their alpha-ness, she climbed off the tiger’s lap. “I need to talk with Dart, see if she’ll go with us. And the Zions—I assume Thrax and Nero will join me, but I can’t take it for granted.”
Wearing a smug expression, her vampyr leaned against the cushions. “I already worked out a deal with Dart. She’s agreed to join us.”
Impressive. But shocking Dart had shown herself. Even the Empress had never laid eyes on Sameya’s brownie. “What’d you agree to pay her?”
“Reese Cups.” A lopsided grin exposed a fang. Soon they’d be inside her. At the idea, anticipation shivered through her. “A large bag once a month.”
Sameya laughed. “What a hard bargain Dart drives.”
“I asked her to pack your things and deliver them to our home.”
Arrogant to assume she’d depart with them.
“I spoke with the Zions.” Gabriel looped his arm over Maximus’s shoulder. “They expected to live with you wherever you reside.”
“You two thought of everything.” She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “And you were both confident I would depart with you.”
Maximus adjusted her position, giving her no time to react to her sudden placement. Sprawled across their legs, with her head in the cat’s lap and her butt across the vampyr’s thighs, she scrutinized them, surprised with her abrupt relocation.
Her bloodsucker laid his arm across her abdomen. “Gabriel and I want you to be prepared about…his family.”
She shot a glance at the tiger, her nerves twittering through her belly.
Gabriel put his fingers through her hair. “We have a marital custom. While they’ve accepted Maximus as one of their own, we never participated in the custom because we wanted to wait for you.”
Refusing to jump to conclusions, she waited for them to explain.
“If you don’t want to do it, we won’t.” From her tiger’s probing stare, she gleaned how important this ritual was for him.
“It won’t mean we’re any less mated or married,” Maximus said quickly. “The pride will still recognize our relationship.”
Whatever the tradition, it was obviously important to Gabriel. “Go on.”
She attempted to sit up, but Maximus applied pressure to her belly. When she met his gaze, he thrust his palm beneath her shirt and cupped her breast, applying slight pinches to her nipple. Biting back her groan, she ignored his smirk. The conceited vampyr knew how his touch affected her.