Stones of Winter: (Reverse Harem Serial) (Winter Princess Book 2) Read online

  Now that I'm out of the water and standing in the cold evening air, I feel the cold seeping into my bones. If the guys weren't holding me up, I'd probably collapse to the ground from exhaustion. My magic is depleted; only now I notice how much of a part it is inside me. It's like there's a hole inside my chest, just to the right of my heart. I hope it refills quickly.

  "Let's get you out of the cold," Crispin says gently from behind me. He lifts me up and carries me in his arms, back inside. Arc is walking ahead of us, leading us until we reach a large door. It's dark inside but he switches on the light as we enter - and we're standing in a small cinema. It's actually more like a big tv screen with a few rows of chairs in front of it.

  "The projector is broken, so we'll be undisturbed in here for now," he explains. Crispin carries me to the front row and gently puts me down on one of the chairs. I must look desperate to get back into his warm arms, because he says, "we need to get you out of your clothes first, Princess. You'll not get warm otherwise."

  Even in my diminished state of mind, alarm bells are starting to ring. Getting naked. In front of the guys. No way. It's bad enough Crispin has seen me in my underwear already.

  Storm gives me a stern glance and takes charge. "Arc, go to the car and get her some clothes from her bag. Frost, you're soaked as well. Strip, Arc can get you something new to wear. Crispin, check her for injuries once she's undressed."

  "What? No, definitely not," I protest. "You're all going to leave the room and then I'll change. No nudeness, no examining, no staring. Get it?"

  Arc starts to laugh, but I frown at him until he turns and leaves the room. Got rid of one, three more to go.

  "I'm happy to strip together with you if that makes it easier," Frost snickers, lifting an eyebrow suggestively. No thanks.

  I ignore the rush of heat in my cheeks and other body parts. This is awkward.

  The shivering is getting worse and my teeth are beginning to chatter noticeably. When I cough, Storm is by my side in a moment, pulling me out of my seat.

  "Clothes off, now," he growls through clenched teeth.

  Shocked, I stare at him. He sighs. "Frost, take her."

  "I'm busy stripping as you commanded, brother dear," Frost chuckles, standing there with all his clothes still on, watching us with amusement. He's making no moves to actually take off his wet shirt or - Gods forbid - trousers.

  "Crisp, you do it." Storm shoves me in the blond guy's direction.

  "I'll need my hands for the healing," Crispin replies, smiling innocently.

  Storm's expression is changing from stern to desperate.

  "Fine, I'll do it. Lift up your arms, Princess."

  "Stop calling me princess, I'm Wyn. And no, I won't." I cross my arms in front of my chest. One exasperated sigh later, my arms are in the air, held up there in Storm's iron grip. I shriek and try to get away from him, but he's not letting me go. I weakly kick his shin, but all that gets me is his legs capturing my own between his, squeezing them so I can't move and am no longer standing, but hanging from my arms. What. The. Fuck. This guy is crazy.

  The other two are bent over laughing. Once I've killed Storm, they'll be next. My wrath will be terrible. When my magic returns.

  Storm changes his grip until he holds my arms in one hand, then uses the other hand to lift up my top. I squeal as my belly is exposed to the guys. I struggle, but all the movement is making me light-headed. Maybe I should have let Crispin check me out first.

  "Stop struggling," Storm growls, squeezing my legs harder with his own. Harder. Hard. No, don't think of that. This is not a sexual thing. This is survival of the fittest.

  Storm is fighting with my shirt - luckily, my boobs are forming a natural hill that the wet fabric is refusing to slide over. Thanks boobs. Glad you're on my side. And the fact that my nipples are hard is not a sign of treachery, but of the cold. Definitely.

  "Let me help," Frost murmurs from behind me and slides his warm hands under my shirt. I can feel him touching my bra strap, wandering higher, squeezing my shoulders. He leans against me and instinctively, I stop fighting his brother and lean back until my back touches his chest.

  "You're not supposed to grope her, you're supposed to help me strip her," Storm complains.

  "Isn't that the same thing?"

  "Fuck it." Storm lets me fall against his brother - who catches me, luckily - and puts his hands on my neckline, ripping my shirt apart until I'm standing there in my bra and something that looks like a bolero.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I scream as I try to cover myself with my arms. At least that's what I want to do, but Frost takes them and presses them against my sides.

  "You don't have anything to hide," he whispers, his breath hot against my ear. The resistance inside me melts a tiny bit. Why does his voice have to be so... sexy.

  Before I can do anything, he gently pushes me forward until I'm pressed against his brother's chest. Frost slides the ruined shirt down my back until there's nothing left on my skin but the bra. His hands slide over my skin, warm and gentle. Goosebumps break out on my arms. This feels good and wrong at the same time. I'm standing in my bra in front of three men I've only just met.

  "Oh, I see you've started without me!" Arc's deep voice echoes through the cinema.

  Ok, make that four men. Maybe this would be a good moment to feel like a slut. Or to scream. Or to just give in... no. Not happening.

  Arc is walking down the steps towards us, his eyes hungrily taking in my body. This big, sweet guy has just turned into a hot, sexy predator.

  I stop squirming and just look at him, trapping his gaze with my own. Frost takes that moment to unclasp my bra. I'm still pressed against Storm's chest, which is holding it in place. But I can see from the evil grin on Arc's face that this is not going to be the case for much longer. He joins the twins, which means I'm now sandwiched between three guys. Crispin is holding back, just watching us. That doesn't mean that he looks unaffected though.

  I shiver involuntarily.

  Arc steps even closer and cups my cheek with one hand. "You're freezing, Wyn. You should really get out of those clothes."

  "We've been trying to tell her that, but she won't listen," Frost complains, humour sparkling in his voice.

  "I am not. Getting. Naked. In front of you," I repeat, but it comes out in a bit of a moan as Frost's hands suddenly cup my breasts from behind. He gently squeezes them, rubbing my nipples through the thin fabric of my bra. Thank the Gods for that. Not for the squeezing, I mean. Just for the fabric. Really.

  Arc kneels down on my side, pushing Storm away until he's in front of me. His hands go to the top of my trousers and I really should protest, but I really don't want to. He slowly unzips my jeans and I take in a heavy breath. Frost is still kneading my boobs and I lean back against him - and my bra slips down, leaving his hands on my naked skin. Ooops. Storm is staring at my chest, his face an unreadable mask. I look up at him, unsure. Then a smile begins to lift his cheeks, before his mouth crashes down on mine, pushing me further back into Frost's embrace. His lips are hard and soft at the same time and they claim me with a force that makes my heart flutter even more than it has already. I moan against him and open my mouth, making way for his tongue. In another part of my mind, I know that Arc is pulling down my trousers, and that Frost's erection is pressing hard against my back while he's playing with my nipples, but all I can focus on is the taste of Storm, his lips on mine, his tongue exploring my mouth.

  When he breaks away, I'm breathless (and speechless). My knees feel weak, but I tell myself that it's due to my exhaustion, not the most amazing kiss I've ever been given.

  Slowly, my awareness of the rest of my body returns. Something is pulsing deep between my legs as I feel all three guys touching my body in different places. There's something missing though. Someone. I move until I can see Crispin, standing on his own a few metres away from us. Our eyes meet and he gives me a sad smile.

  I don't know what my mouth is thi
nking, but I whisper, "Come here."

  He stays still for a moment and I'm close to accepting that he won't join us, but then his smile turns determined and he moves towards us.

  And then the worst possible thing happens.

  The tannoy cracks loudly. "We will shortly arrive in Stornoway harbour. May passengers please return to their cars."

  A collective sigh goes through the room. I may have been part of it. Just when my body had finally overruled my mind.

  Arc clears his throat and gets up from the floor. "We better get a move on."

  "Yeah," Frost says, giving my breasts one last gentle squeeze before stepping away from me.

  I am left with just Storm, who looks down at me sternly. "You should have changed." Then he steps away from me, leaving me bewildered.

  Arc hands me my fresh clothes; a simple black t-shirt and white linen trousers. Without speaking, the guys turn around, making me stare at them in surprise. Now they let me change undisturbed? I can't believe it.

  I quickly put on the shirt (Arc forgot to bring me a dry bra), take off my wet shoes and step out of the jeans that are pooled around my feet. I look at the dry clothes next to me. Oh no.

  "No panties?"

  "Ehm, didn't think you'd need them." Arc laughs and I'm sure it was deliberate. Bastard.

  I groan in frustration.

  "You should have brought her panties, mate," Frost says, surprising me.

  "Why, are ye having a problem with the thought of her being naked underneath her trousers?" Arc teases.

  "You're wearing a kilt. Do you know how uncomfortable this is?" Frost points at the bulge between his legs.

  I'm going to try and forget that I heard this conversation.

  Chapter 3

  It's dark by the time we roll off the ferry and head into Stornoway. Even though it's called the capital of the Western Isles, it's not very big, maybe a few thousand residents. We drive along the streets until we find a hotel that looks bright and inviting. The guys have decided that we need some rest, so we're staying the night rather than driving straight on to Calanais.

  Storm heads inside to find out if they have a room available while the rest of us stay in the car.

  "Is Storm your leader?" I ask, remembering how it's always the brooding, black-clad twin who organises everything.

  "Aye, he's the boss," Arc grins. "When we let him."

  "So it's not an official thing?"

  "Nah, he's the oldest so he thinks he's in charge. And most of the time that's ok with the rest of us."

  "He's older by a few minutes," Frost grumbles. "Just because our God couldn't create two Guardians at the same time."

  "Why did he make you twins?" I ask. I still can't get my head around this whole concept of being created, not born.

  "Guess it looks nicer if you're standing in between two strong, handsome Guardians that look the same," he snickers. "He was still practicing with Storm. By the time he made me, he'd reached perfection."

  I snicker. "You sure about that?"

  "Oi"! He punches me playfully. "I am the prettiest Guardian in the Realms."

  "Ignore him," Crispin chimes in. "I won that title three times in a row."

  "Because your Goddess organised it!"

  Storm's return interrupts their squabble (and stops me from trying to decide who of the four guys is the hottest one). He leads us inside and up some dark, velvet-lined stairs. "They didn't have a family room so we've got two doubles."

  I sigh. "They didn't have twin rooms?"

  "After what happened on the ferry, I didn't think you'd want a twin room," Storm says, his voice dark with a husky undertone.

  "What happened on the ferry?! That was you molesting me!"

  "We undressed you," he says flatly. "And you kissed me."

  "What the fuck? It was you who kissed me!"

  "And you kissed me back."

  I'm speechless. And beaten. Yes, I kissed him back. Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I would probably do it all again. And more. I get flushed just thinking of it. A tiny voice inside me tells me that this isn't me, that this isn't natural, but I push it aside.

  I can't give in though. "No, I didn't."

  "Oh yes you did." Before I can even move, Storm grips my arms and presses me against the wall of the corridor, slamming his mouth onto mine, kissing me hard. My lips open to invite him in. Traitors.

  "Ehm, could we do this inside our rooms? I don't want to attract attention," Frost's voice comes from far away. I don't care; I'm too busy kissing. I evade Storm's nudging tongue and slowly run my own along his teeth. So perfect.

  He leans back, ending the kiss. My mouth follows him, taking the rest of my body with it. He steps back, his eyes filled with heat and regret. "Not here, Princess. Not like this." His voice is almost soft.

  He turns and walks away, the other guys following him, leaving me standing there, bewildered. What the hell just happened? Did I let him kiss me? Again?

  "Come on, Wyn," Crispin shouts from the other end of the corridor. I shake off my confusion (at least I try to) and hurry after them.

  We've got two rooms opposite from each other. They're identical; small, a little dark, but generally friendly looking. I enter the room to my right, where the guys are waiting for me. Arc is sprawled out on the king-size bed and if I bent down a little, I could probably look up his kilt... but no, that would be naughty.

  Storm and Frost are standing by the window, talking quietly, while Crispin looks a little forlorn on his own in the middle of the room. He’s the only one acknowledging me entering the room, though.

  “How are you feeling?” he asks, putting an arm around my shoulders. The familiarity surprises and excites me at the same time. Crispin is still a bit of an enigma to me. He’s the quietest one, always gentle, always standing slightly apart from the others. Frost and Storm match because of their looks (and their demeanour, I’m slowly starting to see, even though at first I thought them to be very different from each other), and Arc is similar enough to join their team. But Crispin… he’s different. Not in a bad way, though. I just feel like there’s a lot more to him than I can see on the surface.

  “Tired,” I reply, not wanting to tell him that I’m feeling absolutely shattered. I don’t want him to think that he needs to heal me.

  “Guys, let’s talk. Wyn is exhausted, so let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”

  “She’s not the only one,” Frost mumbles. Dark shadows are surrounding his eyes and his shoulders are slumped. Rescuing me from the grip of the sea must have taken more energy from him than I had realised. How did I not notice this before? Oh yes, he was touching my boobs. That’s why.

  "Arc, make some space," Storm commands, and the kilted Scot sits up on the bed. We join him on the springy mattress. That reminds me, we haven't discussed sleeping arrangements yet. I wish these men were smaller, so they could all fit on one bed. In the other room. Leaving this room for me.

  "Ouch, you're sitting on my leg," Frost complains and pushes his brother. Which ends up in everyone shuffling around, making the springs underneath the mattress groan in anger. Maybe that's just my interpretation - and my projection, because a second later, Arc grabs me and puts me on his lap.

  "See, now we have more space," he grins. I'm too tired to even protest. Besides, he's warm and comfy. His abs are hard beneath me, and I try to ignore that as best as I can.

  Storm tssks, then clears his throat importantly. "Okay, let's begin. Wyn, did you see who threw you off the ferry?"

  I shake my head. "No, the deck was empty. It was magic, it felt like the air grabbed me and pushed me over."

  "Air magic... that complicates things."

  "Why?"

  "Not many mages have that ability," Storm explains. "It's more common in Guardians."

  "Oh. But we can't exclude it being a mage, right?"

  "No, but it's unlikely. Has anyone ever tried to harm you before? When you were still living among humans?"

  "No, and why would th
ey? Why is someone trying to kill me now?"

  "They must have been waiting until your magic developed when you came of age," Storm says, ignoring my questions.

  "We can't go on like this," Frost says tiredly. "She's almost been killed twice in one day, not counting the flares. From now on, two of us should always be with her."

  "Two of you? Don't I get a say in this?"

  "No," Storm says in his favourite grumble voice.

  "I don't think that's enough," Crispin sighs. "If they break into her mind again, we may not be able to stop her from leaving. We need a failsafe."

  "Are you thinking...?"

  Arc shakes his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. The effects are already quite strong, and that would only make it... more intense."

  "I agree," Storm grumbles.

  "You would, wouldn't you. But it's not about you, it's about Wyn," Frost snaps. "Just because you can't control yourself, you'd put her in danger?"

  I've had enough. "What the hell are you talking about?"

  A collective silence answers me. "Ok, if you don't want to tell me, I'm going to bed. I'm taking the other room, you can stay here."

  I sit up and untangle my legs from Crispin (who put his own over them at some point). Before I can leave, Arc's arms hug my belly and pull me back against him. "Let me go!"

  "No," he whispers, and turns me until I'm looking straight into his emerald eyes. His gaze captivates mine and my breath catches in my throat. There's a tingling in my belly that tells me to lean forward, to press my lips against his and...

  "What are you doing to me?" I whisper, in shock about my own thoughts. This is so not me.

  "That's what we're talking about. The pull."

  "Is that what is making me want to..."

  "Kiss me? Fuck me? Yes." Arc's voice is hoarse and his pupils are dilated. I can feel him growing hard against my thighs. His lips are waiting for me, red and soft and delicious. I wonder what they feel like.