Page 103 of Stoking the Flames

I pulled back and looked over at him. “Xae?”

“I like him,” Xae said and smacked a hand on Kel's hip. “I'm pleased with our new addition.”

I looked at Rath.

He grinned at me. “I am as well.”

“Thank the Goddess,” I whispered.

“No shit,” Kel said. “Because I'm never going back.” He rolled over, sliding between my legs, and rose to his knees. His cock stood out straight, already weeping. “Time to show them how it's done, lover.”

Xaedren snorted. “Good luck with that.”

“I don't need luck. I have a tail.” And with that, Keltyr showed the other two just how handy a tail was.

Chapter Forty-Eight

The next day, my lovers and I had to return to our normal life, but that wasn't so bad. Keltyr was now a part of it, and he went where we went. We ate together, trained together, and even visited the children together. Speaking of which, someone had broken the news to the children and the two fathers that Fress was gone. They took it well, just a few tears shed. I mean, what was a house when most of them were still without their families? General Ranor was looking for a place for them to live, but until he found one, they'd be staying with us.

“You're good with them,” I said to Keltyr as he sat down beside me on the stone bench.

We were in the garden with the kids, trying to give them a bit of normalcy along with the sunshine they'd been deprived of. A few Wraith Lords had bought some toys for the younger ones and games for the older kids. The gifts were strewn around the garden, already well-loved. It was chaos, with kids shrieking and laughing and running, but it was a grand chaos. And Kel had been right in the middle of it for most of the day.

“So are you,” Keltyr said and slung an arm around my shoulders.

“I try to be,” I said. “I haven't had much practice with kids, but they're hard to resist.”

“Especially that Sally,” he said. “She adores you.”

“You're a close second for her.”

Xae, who was on the grass at my feet, using my legs as a backrest, said, “They make me nervous.”

Xae and Rath were not as good with children, but they tried. Their poor attempts and clueless expressions were even more adorable than Keltyr acting like one of the kids, crawling around on his hands and knees, giving them rides, and not minding when they used his horns as reins. Xaedren had especially made my heart melt when he sat in the grass and let the children climb all over him as if he were their own private mountain. His expression of pained tolerance was priceless. But he had escaped eventually and now, only Rath and the two human fathers were amidst the horde.

Rath was trying to get the kids to behave. It was enough to send me into laughing spasms.

And enough to make me say yet another prayer of thanks to the Goddess.

Life kept throwing obstacles at me, but it also kept rewarding me for overcoming them. Sure, I stumbled sometimes, but now I had three men to help me up. And I would get up again and again. I would keep trying and keep fighting until there was nothing left to fight. I had rescued the children. That had been my goal. And I had taken another lover. Another goal accomplished. Now, I have new goals. I wanted to find the Corrupted people of Fress and reunite them with their children.

And I wanted to forget about Jath.

Both would be difficult. No matter how much I knew Jath was no good for me nor how glad I was that I was with Keltyr instead of him, you can't simply reason away an attraction. I had wanted him badly and now I saw that he was broken, and I couldn't fix him. I had to let go of my desire. And I would. I would concentrate on all the love I had. I would focus on my beautiful, brave men, and ignore the ache I felt every time I looked at Jath. I had other men to consider. An army to grow. I just hoped my heart would be big enough and strong enough for what was coming.

But even if it wasn't, I would take strength from the men I loved. They would see me through.