Hell Gate

by Veronica Eden

“Mine,” he repeats in a smoky rasp. I shudder, my head swimming from his enticing scent. “Yours.”

Matthias presses the curve of his smile against my ear. “Turn around, baby.” That tone is all mischief. I spin to face him, sucking in a breath when he cradles my face and kisses me deeply. I meld against him. It’s over too soon and I already crave the next one. The other two growl, their stances rigid. Valerian scowls and Alder glares at Matthias. Both of them shift their focus to me and I gasp at the desire filling their penetrating gazes. It’s almost like they’re jealous.

“I might not be a warrior like Alder and Vale, but I know how to fight.” “Always trying to slide in as my hero,” I tease. “You already got the girl.”

“Or both. We don’t have to choose between them. You can have everything you want. Everything your heart desires. If you feel the urge, take it.” There’s something about the way he says it that makes me pause, looking up from the basket of fresh apples. The bond stirs in my chest, the faint tug in the opposite direction ever-present. Are we still talking about pie?

“I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with you.” His tender, protective gaze bounces between mine. “I’ll be with you anywhere we go. You never have to worry, mate. I’m with you.”

“Burn with me, petal.”

I feel him everywhere as I’m shattered and remade, no longer a broken, unloveable girl. Inside me.

“You belong to me, petal,” he breathes against my lips, fingers tightening in my hair. “I’ve claimed you as mine. You’ll always be mine, mate.” Those words burn into my very soul with the promise I’ll never be alone again.

Part of me wants them to see, wants them to hear what it sounds like when I come. A pulsing hum fills my chest at the thought, urging me on.

“I’m not stopping until you’re soaking my hand, petal. I want you dripping for me, baby. I want you so wet you ruin the leather so none of us ever forget it.”

He’s staring between my spread legs like I’m a feast waiting for him, intently fixated on every movement of Matthias’ hand. He reaches out and hesitates before placing his big hand on my knee, encouraging me to open my legs wider. My body quakes and another cry escapes me.

“She’s too close. Draw it out. Tease her.” Alder lifts his hypnotic green eyes to meet mine and my stomach clenches. “Make her beg for it.”

I feel beautiful, the sense chasing away the horrible voice in my head that whispers I’m not enough and makes me believe everyone will leave me alone. But my demons won’t. Matthias claimed me, swearing I belonged to him. Alder watches me with desire filling his gaze. Valerian promised I’d never escape him. They won’t leave me.

“If you continue to taunt us because you’re the one who gets to have her, I’ll kill you,” he growls.

“When you can’t protect yourself, I will be there to keep you safe.”

“I want to give you all of that. Let us take care of you. Both of us.” Both.

feel better like this,” I admit. “Your scent is nice. It makes me feel protected.”

“I’ll hold you as long as you need,” he promises. “Nothing can hurt you.”

When I feel like I’ll fall apart, he lets me. I don’t have to hold myself together on my own as long as he’s there to catch me.

“Who hurt you?” The jagged demand slices through the quiet. He guides my chin so I face him instead of hiding. His mouth presses into a thin line. “Tell me what humans did to make you lose control and let your power out like this?” I freeze. My throat constricts and I shake my head. “I want to hunt them all down and rip them limb from limb for hurting you. Since I first saw them, I knew you had known pain no one should suffer,”

“Sleep now, sweet blossom,” he says gruffly. “I’m here. I won’t let you go.”

I sit on the edge of the bed, reliving a dream where I didn’t have to choose between the three demons who stole me away. They surrounded me in the dream, all of them touching me without hesitation, as if I’m someone they cherish above all else.

Everything is heavy. Lifting a finger takes effort. My head lolls back and Vale stares down at me with concern, cradling my face. He strokes my cheeks, mouthing my name. I can’t hear him clearly over Lane’s chanting, like I’m underwater.

Although—the guys could be there. The need to see them crashes over me. My demons, my heart tethers, my home.

As long as my demons are okay, I’ll be okay.

This is what I like about being with Matthias. He does everything to make me smile and make me feel worshiped.

“I promise to make it happen because you deserve the world, my pretty girl.”

“You like the audience, petal? You’re getting wetter by the second. They’re watching you, Lily.”

couldn’t bear it, but I’m powerless to stop what I feel. It’s not just Alder and Matthias I’m torn between. It’s Vale, too. Almost losing him made it clear that I don’t want a world without him in it, challenging me, pushing my buttons, igniting my need to fight back.

“Why are you so stubborn?” He doesn’t seem to expect an answer, talking more to himself. “You don’t have to do this alone. You have me. Matthias. Vale, in his own way. We’ll take care of you, blossom. You only need to ask.”

His chin dips, his predatory hooded gaze trained on me. “Run, sweet blossom. Now.”

don’t care that Matthias claimed you first. All that matters is that you’re mine.”

“Next time I want to knot you,” he rasps. “Then after it’s gone down, spend the rest of the night pushing my come back into your pussy with my fingers before I fuck it back into you with my cock.”

“It’s time for bed.” He kisses me deeply again, laying his claim and possessing me with his mouth. “This time you’ll stay put by my side. If you try to sneak out again, I’ll chase you, sweet blossom.”

“You’re not mad?” “No, baby. Trust me, if I wasn’t willing to share you with my brothers, I’d never let them see you. But they’re the only two I’ll ever let touch my mate. If anyone else dares to look at you, I’ll carve out their eyes with my claws.”

“It’s what she needed. I’ll put her needs first above any of ours every time.”

“For me, the moment we were attacked. When the demon was going for you, I couldn’t bear it. I needed to protect you without regard for my life or my brothers’,” Alder says.

“You made it through that. It didn’t break you permanently, and you’ll never be alone again. Our hearts and souls will never be separated now that we’ve found you, Lily.” “You have us forever,” Matthias adds.

“I’m not leaving, little flower,” he says. “None of us will ever leave you.”

Somewhere along the way, my enemies became my lovers. My fated mates. I’ve fallen for them. My heart is irrevocably theirs. Every broken, damaged shard of me belongs to all three of them because with them I’ve found the thing I’ve always longed for—my true home.

“They’ll wake soon and join us. For now, let me have you to myself.”

“Whoever I was, I’m not letting anything come between us.” The corner of his mouth lifts. “Always so stubborn. I’m glad your fiery spirit isn’t lost.”

“If you sneak off on one of your adventures, it’s my duty as the knight assigned to guard you to follow.” My eyes flash with mischief. “Then catch me if you can, Vale. I won’t go easy on you.”

With a rough, broken noise, he pulls my head back by my hair and his mouth collides against mine. It’s everything he’s held back. The kiss is a passionate storm, all-consuming and wild.

“I failed you once before. The thought of ever losing you again terrifies me to the depths of my being.”

“I found you,” he says against my mouth. “I won’t let you go this time.” I shake my head, pressing so close I think I’m trying to climb inside him so we’re never parted again.

These demons are my home. My fate. No one will take them from me.

“You’re ours, Lily.” Matthias takes my hand and brings my scarred knuckles to his lips. “Fate brought us together. That’s all that matters.” Alder tucks my hair behind my ear. “Loving you is a gift bestowed upon us by the gods.” “Ours.” Vale’s embrace tightens with his rough echo. “Yours,” I murmur. “All of yours.”

Whatever he wants, I’ll give it to him. He has me always and forever.

“You’re not fucking dying, Lily. I won’t let you.” He holds my jaw and deepens the kiss. “Keep surviving for me. For us.”