“I believe you,” I whisper, because it’s the truth. Because I have to believe him. Because it feels like my Arcana brothers and I have only just found one another, and I refuse to let the darkness steal away what we haven’t even fullybegunto explore. To build. To nurture.
Baz pulls back, sliding his hand up my arm to caress my shoulder while Kirin presses his palm to my chest, right over my heart. Right now, they’re holding me together.
“I love you both so much,” I say, and Kirin grants me a sweet smile that reminds me of the first time I saw him in Kettle Black—my secret Mr. Cinnamon Buns crush. “And when I’m with you, somehow it feels like maybe we reallywillsurvive this thing. And even if we don’t, at least—”
Kirin cuts me off with another kiss, this one so intense and possessive it sends a jolt of electric heat zipping down to my toes. When he finally breaks for air, his eyes are glassy, his lips red and puffy.
“Stevie, listen to me,” he breathes. “I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. But Idoknow you’re going to survive it. You’re our light. Youhaveto survive it.”
Behind me, Baz runs his fingers through my hair, tightening his grip in a hold as fierce and possessive as Kirin’s kiss. “He’s right, Little Bird. If anyone’s going to make it to see another sunset, it’s you.”
“Screw you guys,” I tease. “If I’m surviving, so are you. Package deal, non-negotiable.”
“I’ll take that deal,” Baz says.
Kirin smiles and shrugs a shoulder. “Sure, why not. I’m in.”
“Well, not yet, you’re not. But the night is young, so…” I hook my leg over his hip, drawing him closer and cracking up at my own stupid innuendo. Kirin’s hard length presses against me, already eager to grant my every wish. Behind me, Baz’s equally rigid form presses against my curves. “Two hot men vying for my affections,” I tease. “How will I ever choose?”
“I could challenge Genius Boy to a duel,” Baz says, “but I feel like we should conserve our strength tonight.”
I reach behind me and slide my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. “Not all of it, I hope.”
“I suppose I could spare some for you.” His answering laugh trails into a soft sigh as he brings his lips to my ear and whispers, “I love you, Little Bird. More than you probably realize. You’re truly my light.”
“And my heart,” Kirin says softly, his gaze fiery and serious as he slides into me. Behind me, Baz reaches forward and cups my breast, gently tugging my nipple as he teases the sensitive skin behind my ear with his tongue.
It’s our last night before our last night.
Sounds funny to say it like that, but that’s how it feels.
And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
“I want you,” I breathe, arching back against Baz again as Kirin draws out slowly, then slides back in, inch by torturous inch. “Both of you. Together.”
Baz grabs my hand and guides it back to his cock, more than happy for my touch, but I pull away.
“Not like before,” I insist. “Inside me. At the same time.”
Low growls of pleasure rumble through them both, but I sense Baz’s hesitance at once. He’s worried he’ll hurt me.
“In the nightstand,” I say. “There’s a pouch.”
He rolls over and fumbles in the drawer, coming back with the gossamer pouch Professor Broome gave me the day I picked up my birth control potion—the one that made Kirin blush so adorably the first time he saw it. I grin, sending a silent thank-you to Carly and the girls. When they packed up the things from my suite before we all moved in here, they didn’t skimp on the important stuff.
“There should be a small bottle inside,” I said. “That’s what you want.”
“Right. The, uh…” He pauses as he reads the label. “Warming personal lubricant?”
Kirin and I exchange a wicked glance, both of us holding back a laugh.
“Do I even want toknowwhy you have this?” Baz asks. “Not that I’m complaining, of course.”
“No one wants to be caught without the essentials at the end of the world, Baz,” Kirin says, mimicking the exact phrase I shot at him the night he discovered Professor Broome’s bag of tricks.
Little did we know it would come in handy so soon.
The laughter passes, and Baz settles in behind me, bottle in hand. Still buried inside me, Kirin starts moving again, soft and slow, whipping me into a crazy-hot frenzy.
