Destined to Run Read online

  “And you said I expected the worst of people,” Ares scoffs, not outright calling me a hypocrite, but he doesn’t need to. I just didn’t see it before, but now I’m cringing the more things are forced into the light.

  “I get it, I get it. I see it now. Just follow my lead.”

  “Come to these sort of places often?” Cole asks with a smile in his voice. He doesn’t sound judgmental, just amused.

  “No, but I’ve been to a club once or twice when I snuck out as a teenager. Same rules apply…sort of.”

  Scanning the crowd, it’s actually hard not to find a mage here. The starburst birthmark that they’re all born with on the side of their lower neck, spreading onto their shoulder, is on prominent display all around us. The color varies from person to person, though most I see just look like scar tissue in faded pink or white.

  Primarily it’s men, but there are several women scattered throughout the place too. They wear their power like a second skin and people are drawn to it like moths to a flame. They ooze sex and confidence, and people are lapping it up like if they can kiss enough ass, some of it will rub off on them.

  It’s desperate, and honestly, sort of pathetic. I’ve seen the same thing happen time and time again throughout my life, watching people pander to my father’s ego to stay in favor, but I was rather numb to it. Now I’m on the outside looking in at how disgusting my life really was and regretting not leaving sooner.

  “First time?” a velvety, feminine voice whispers in my ear and I stiffen at the breath tickling against the side of my neck.

  You couldn’t give me a little warning? I growl at them, but don’t wait for a reply.

  “That obvious?”

  I turn to face her, and Cole steps flush with my back and wraps his arms around my stomach, toying with the metal strip above my navel. He rests his chin on the top of my head, watching the newcomer attentively while tense, as if waiting to haul me out of here at a moment’s notice.

  She smirks. “The new ones always radiate innocence in an intoxicating way.”

  Tucking a lock of her long, dark hair behind her ear, she takes a sip of her drink, watching me intently over the rim. It draws attention to the pale starburst mark on her neck, and it’s clear she did it solely for that purpose. Her eyes are a rich brown, but the lighting makes them seem even darker. This woman lives and breathes subtle seduction like an art form.

  Extending her free hand, she introduces herself. “Selena.”

  “Elizabeth,” I only half lie since it’s my middle name.

  “I see you have good taste, Elizabeth,” she praises, eyeing Cole and Ares with a hungry gleam in her eye.

  Stiffening, I try to temper my reaction so I don’t ruin our chances here tonight. Still, the thought of her trying to seduce them leaves me heated enough that I have a ridiculous urge to bare my teeth at her.

  “We don’t get shifters here often enough for my liking,” she continues, making no attempt to hide the thoughts plain as day on her face.

  “Then it’s a shame I’ll have to disappoint you.” I run a hand down Cole’s arm before settling my palm on Ares’, making my stance clear before I have to stomach this for the rest of the night. “We’re here to enjoy the thrill of not needing to be discreet for once, but didn’t come looking to add another to the party.”

  She shrugs, finishing off her drink and summoning a waitress with a snap of her fingers timed perfectly between the thrum of the bass so it could be heard. Her glass is swapped with a full one within moments and she raises it to me before taking another sip.

  “I like you, Elizabeth. Too many are afraid to say what they want and there’s no shame in setting boundaries. That’s what Mystics is all about, you know.” She completely ignores the woman that comes up trying to engage her in conversation. “Too many think it’s just a place to fuck, but that’s not it at all.”

  “What is it then?” Ares asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically and she winks.

  “It’s about having a safe place to explore without fear of reprisal. About bringing your deepest buried desires to the surface without worrying that someone will condemn you for them.” Selena reaches forward to flick the zipper at my collar and gently slides it down half of an inch. “It’s about not having to hide. And you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you Corinna Harlow?”

  The air seizes in my lungs and Cole’s grip tightens around my waist. “How do you know my name?”

  She clucks under her tongue, leaning forward to whisper in my ear so that no one can overhear besides the guys. “You think word wouldn’t spread about a feral shifter stealing the socialite bride on her wedding night?” A quick kiss on my cheek before she pulls back, grinning. “But those of us with a brain have long since learned that nearly everything out of the humans’ mouths is twisted.”

  Ares warily asks, “Are you going to tip anyone off?”

  She waves him off. “Stay, blow a load off. Lord knows you all look like you need it. I meant what I said, this is a safe place to cut loose. But I will warn you; outside of these walls means nothing. There’s a reward for your safe return or the head of the shifter that murdered the trust fund baby. When you leave, do so quickly and discreetly.” She blends into the crowd as seamlessly as she arrived, leaving us to deal with the aftermath of the bomb she just dropped.

  “Shit,” Ares eloquently sums up and I grimace.

  “It’s not a surprise though,” Cole consoles. “We assumed as much. I just wouldn’t have expected her to recognize you so easily when we aren’t even in the city.”

  I sigh. “But we’re close enough I suppose. A scandal like that can’t be kept quiet, even if they managed to keep it out of the news. The penthouse district is supposed to be the most secure place to live. If not even there is safe, people will be on edge. They likely amped up security in and out of the city, too.”

  Ares takes my hand, leading us out of the main area and down the hall towards one of the unoccupied rooms, shutting the door behind us. It doesn’t lock, but it offers a sense of privacy, at least.

  “Then we need to make this work,” he declares adamantly. “Things might get worse before they get better so we need to make this one shot count so we can get the hell out of here.”

  The room is pretty simple compared to the brief flashes of others I caught a glimpse of. The floor is black marble, and it’s lit only by a strip of purple lighting running along the top of the walls. One wall displays an array of toys, and I couldn’t even tell you what half of them are for. In the center is a massive, faux leather square like an oversized ottoman. Better than a bed I suppose, but I don’t even want to think about how much they’d need to pay a maid in this place. This at least looks easy enough to wipe down, but still.

  “I don’t even want to think about the things these have seen.” Cole mirrors my thoughts, looking at the wall with his head cocked, but not touching anything. “I mean, they’d have to keep them clean, but how often? I feel like I’m going to get pregnant just by picking one up.”

  Even Ares snorts out a laugh, and it helps calm my racing heart that Selena’s words spurred into overdrive. “As much as I hate to admit it, this is a bust. Selena knows who I am and if a mage turns up missing, I’m going to be the first person she suspects. So we can either grab one and hope we get a big enough head start before someone starts chasing us, or we call tonight a wash.”

  I want to slump in defeat, but I can’t bring myself to sit on the only piece of furniture in the room. Logically, I know it’s probably fine, but after the things I saw going on in the main room? I shudder to think what’s happening behind closed doors.

  “Or,” Ares starts hesitantly and I’m thrilled someone else has an idea because I’m starting to feel like I’m in so far over my head that finding a way through this will be impossible. “We could enjoy a night without Osiris chucking up a hairball.”

  A smile plays at my lips. “That doesn’t sound like you. There’s not even a lock on the door.”

&nb
sp; He shifts his weigh between his feet, looking embarrassed and fuck, it’s endearing on this massive man. “Probably the safest spot in here and could keep it closed,” he suggests.

  I pull my bottom lip between my teeth. “It’s reckless.”

  Cole’s eyes flash in the dark, dangerous and enticing. He’s my own personal devil that got tired of waiting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear, and decided to come out and play. “She already saw you, so the damage is done. Whether we leave now or in an hour, it won’t change anything; there’s a witness putting you here tonight.”

  Since yesterday’s cockblock, I’ve been in a nearly a constant state of arousal. Having my orgasm snatched out from under me when it was so close, the phantom feeling of their caresses so fresh in my memory…

  “It would look suspicious if we left so quickly after arriving, especially since we didn’t turn around in the beginning.”

  Ares looks as awkward as I am despite the fact he suggested it in the first place. But I don’t think any of us know where to even begin, the moment feeling more forced than organic. This isn’t some heavy petting that gets carried away in the heat of the moment, it just feels scripted, yet I’m missing my lines.

  “So, um, where should we start?”

  Cole snorts. “You two are so terrible it’s actually cute. Get out of your head, Rin and just feel. Don’t overthink it.” When I don’t just throw myself at one of them or whatever he was picturing, he chuckles and steps closer. “I know you told us to follow your lead here, but mind if I step in for a bit?”

  I practically throw my panties at him in thanks, as relieved as his words make me. “Please?”

  He wastes no time stepping forward and tilting my chin up, kissing me slowly at first. He doesn’t rush anything, just savors the moment until the tension starts to bleed from my shoulders and I sink into his touch. Only when I start meeting every roll of his tongue with enthusiasm does Ares step behind me, trailing his hand up my thigh and between my legs.

  Cole’s palm settles on the nape of my neck, keeping me captive as he plunders my mouth. I quickly grow to resent the scrap of lacy cotton between my legs, Ares keeping the thin barrier between us for now. Every stroke of his fingers I tense, waiting for one to slip inside of me, but I’m left aching.

  “Tell us what you want,” Cole murmurs, pulling back just enough to leave me wanting.

  “I-“ My mouth snaps closed, the words lodging in my throat. I want Ares to stop teasing me and push my panties aside already.

  A mischievous glint lights up his already bright blue eyes. “He can’t hear you, remember? You’re going to have to actually tell him.”

  I nearly shriek in frustration, feeling embarrassed voicing anything like this out loud. As his fingers brush across my clit again, another wave of arousal assaults me and a needy whimper slips out that urges me to just go for it. If they give me a hard time about it, they aren’t the kind of people I want to be sleeping with anyway. This sort of thing requires a level of trust that’s nerve-wracking, but ultimately? I do. I trust them more than I even wanted to admit to myself, but the realization helps to bolster my courage.

  “I want Ares to fuck me already. Because if I don’t come soon, I’m going to scream.”

  He growls against my neck as Cole rumbles his approval, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a couple of condoms. He passes one to Ares and next thing I know, he spins me around to face him and lifts me off of the ground. My legs wrap around Ares’ waist instantly and his cock grinds against me.

  His hand slips between us to shove my underwear to the side and in the next second, he’s thrusting into me. I groan, adjusting to the way he stretches me slowly despite both of our desperation. By the time he sinks in to the hilt, I’m panting and squirming against him.

  “Fuck,” he draws out, putting a hand on the door to brace himself as he pushes me against the wood. He withdraws just enough to leave me wanting before snapping his hips, slamming into me as I cry out. My hands fist his shirt, helpless to do more than hold on for the ride as he ratchets up my desire to a boiling point.

  The cockblock gene must run strong in shifters though, because just as I start to fall apart, teetering on that edge, he flips our position. He adjusts his hold to band one arm around my back and the other grips my thigh.

  Before I can even ask, I feel Cole kissing my bare shoulder and trailing a hand over my ass under my skirt. “You’re killing me here,” he murmurs against my skin. “Watching you, hearing you, but not touching. Let me help, hmm? Let me be the one to make you fall apart while you ride my brother’s cock, while you become ours.”

  Ares flexes his hips, pushing deeper inside of me and a moan slips out before I can contain it. “Yes,” I breathe, arching into his touch. “Please.”

  He starts pinching and rolling my clit while I grip Ares’ shoulder for leverage, riding him as best as I can from this angle. Cole pauses long enough to grip the side of my underwear, tearing it with minimal effort. He does the same to the remaining scrap of fabric before casting them aside, toying with me once more.

  He reaches away for a moment before brushing his oil-slicked fingers over my ass and I jump. But as Ares’ cock hits the perfect spot, I groan, leaning my head back on Cole’s shoulder.

  “Just keep breathing,” he praises, nipping at my exposed throat and working a finger in.

  There’s a burning pain at first, more foreign pressure than anything, but it fades as they continue to distract me with their other touches. When he works a second in, I take a sharp breath, exhaling slowly as he continues to work them until it’s more pleasure than pain.

  I start rocking between them, the occasional pinch sending another wave of arousal through me. When I start to come, I turn my head, biting into the crook of Cole’s neck to muffle my cries. My orgasm rocks through me hard and fast, leaving me a trembling mess, but it only manages to take the edge off.

  “Shit, I don’t know how long I can hold out,” Ares mutters, rocking slowly to try to stretch things out rather than chasing his own relief.

  My cheeks heat, but I still force the words out. “You can keep going. If you want, I mean,” I offer to Cole and he hesitates for only a moment.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Ares groans as I roll my hips, giving me a bit more confidence. “We can always stop. But I’m not opposed to trying.”

  As he tears open another condom I lean forward, riding Ares and capturing his mouth. It’s not the most comfortable position, but still better than fumbling around in the backseat of the truck. I remind myself to take slow breaths as I feel the head of his cock pressing against my ass, cursing into Ares’ mouth as Cole starts to force his way inside.

  It was uncomfortable with a couple of fingers, but that was a walk in the park compared to an actual dick. Tears burn the back of my eyes as I’m stretched to the point of pain, and I go rigid, focused on sucking down my next breath beyond anything else.

  “You don’t have to,” Ares assures me, smoothing my hair off of my face and looking at me with such endearment it steals my already ragged breath away. “You don’t need to prove anything, love. And you don’t owe either of us a single thing.”

  I exhale slowly, shaking my head. “Just, more lube maybe? And keep playing with my clit; it doesn’t hurt as much then.”

  “We should wait until we can pick up some toys,” Cole suggests, not pressing any deeper, but not pulling out either. “Because I don’t really want to use anything from here.”

  “Nope, I can do this.” I swallow, but feel confident in my decision. “Already halfway there, so might as well go all the way.”

  “Umm, I’m only like, two inches in,” Cole apologizes and I curse, leaning forward as I feel him pour more lube.

  “Of course the hot guys that think I’m amazing have huge cocks,” I complain without heat, gently rocking back as he pushes forward. “You just can’t have a single flaw, can you? Like a third nipple or something so you’re not so
perfect it hurts?”

  Ares groans right alongside me the deeper Cole manages, the tightness nearly unbearable. “Do you want me to point out all the ways we suck?”

  I bite his shoulder hard enough to leave a mark, his cock jerking inside of me as Cole presses against my back while endlessly circling my clit. “No, I want you guys to make me come at least twice as a reward for taking all of this dick like a champ.” My voice is muffled as I fight through adjusting to feeling so ungodly full, but I know they heard me by their amused chuckles.

  Cole’s thrusts are shallow as he takes a sharp intake of breath, chest rumbling with pleasure as I gently rock between them. Most of Ares’ efforts are spent keeping us all from toppling over like sexy dominos, and I have to appreciate his sacrifice as another jolt runs through me. Cole unzips my dress enough to bare my breasts, pinching and rolling one of my nipples in tandem with his ministrations between my legs.

  Ares thrusts deeply once more with a curse, and feeling the effect I have on him? Knowing I brought him to this point? It’s heady in a way like nothing I can describe. With the next jerk of his cock, he bites my shoulder with a savage sound. As he starts coming inside of me, I shudder around him, the sensation only amplified when Cole bites down on my other shoulder.

  It’s not pretty. It’s savage, messy, and I’m sure I look like hell, but I couldn’t even care about what someone would think if they walked in on us right now. All I wish was that we weren’t missing someone, but truth be told? I’m happy we’re claiming in stages. Handling two men is hard enough; I need to work my way up to something like a gangbang.

  Cole pulls out first, helping me to my feet as he ties off the condom and bends down to grab my ruined underwear, stuffing both into his pocket. My thoughts must be clear on my face because he rolls his eyes.