Kenji rolled his eyes and scampered after Kai. I trailed behind, trying not to spontaneously combust from embarrassment. After a few minutes, the tunnel opened into a vast cavern with several smaller tunnels leading off it.
A mix of bioluminescence and phosphorescence lit the path ahead. The farther into the cavern I walked, the warmer it got. By the time I reached the far side, where Kai waited for me, I was about ready to remove my coat.
“This place is amazing,” I breathed, my eyes wide. The stress of the journey so far melted away as humid heat sank into my bones. How was it so warm in here? It made no sense.
Kai must have seen the confusion on my face. He chuckled.
“This mountain is a volcano. It gets a lot hotter if we go deeper into the cave system, but that’s not in the cards tonight.” He looked over my shoulder as my other two mates arrived, still bickering.
Kenji yawned and scratched himself vigorously.
“You better not have picked up fleas,” I huffed.
“Fleas? How fucking rude! I’d be more concerned about where your incubus slut mate has been than any vermin I’m carrying.”
Was he implying Zane had cheated on me? I gasped.
Zane reached me first, but I ducked away, not wanting him to touch me if he’d been all over other females…or males.
“What’s wrong, pet?” His eyebrows quirked up in confusion at my reaction.
There was no easy way to say this, but in my book, honesty was the best policy.
“Kenji says I need to get you checked for…um…diseases.”
Zane’s mouth flattened, and his eyes flared in anger before he swiveled to stare at my familiar. Kenji’s two tails puffed up. Quick as a flash, Kenji moved behind the merman’s legs.
“You better watch your back, you little shit!” My annoying familiar made a noise that sounded a lot like a laugh before blinking away.
“I can assure you I do not carry diseases, pet, and also, I haven’t looked at anyone else since I met you. Even though I rely on lust to boost my magic, and the shifters have me on speed dial for their orgies.” He seemed furious and also hurt, and I felt bad for repeating Kenji’s unsubstantiated claims.
“I didn’t believe him,” I lied. Zane’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Good, because by the time I’m done with you, you’ll—”
“For fuck’s sake, incubus. How many times do I need to say this? Our mate is tired, cold, and hungry. She needs to eat and sleep, not fuck.”
I raised my hand cautiously. “Um, if it’s okay with you, I’d quite like to, um,relax.”
Zane laughed, apparently over his annoyance at being dissed by Kenji.
“Does my pet need help to relax?” Yes, I needed help. A lot of help. I’d once read in a human romance novel that sex was good for trauma. It was probably a plot device designed to help the mafia guy coerce the female main character into bed, but to me it kind of made sense.
Sex was the one time I could forget all my worries. I liked it when my bear took control. He liked it too. And since Zane was also rather controlling, in a good way, the two of them together would make me feel good.
My eyes slid over to the merman, who was busy looking at the floor and not at me.Oh no!Had he picked up on my thoughts again?
He coughed and shuffled awkwardly.
“There’s a hot spring down the left tunnel if anyone wants to, um, clean up.”
My jaw dropped. “An actual hot spring with hot water?” Oh my goddess, that sounded amazing.
“Yeah. If you guys want to take a dip, I’ll keep watch.”
Zane slapped the merman on the shoulder way too hard for it to be friendly. Kai’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t complain.
“Thanks, dude.”
