Chapter Text

One

Feyre

“If you’ve changed your mind, we can go.” Rhys smirked at me and leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on his knees. I scowled at him. It was no use pretending I wasn’t nervous, but like hell was I backing down now.

“Not a chance,” I said. I leaned back against the pillows of the sofa, fingering the stem of my wine glass uneasily as we perched in the solarium of Helion’s personal residence, waiting for him to return. I still wasn’t quite sure how we had even gotten to this point, though I blamed Rhys entirely, of course.

Trying to distract myself, I glanced around the room for what must have been the forty-seventh time now. Helion’s home was exactly as decadent and beautiful as anyone would have expected - sun-warmed sandstone walls were framed by polished mahogany columns so rich and round that I wanted to run my hands all over them. Fitting, I supposed, for the sensual High Lord of Day. Glass arched overhead, creating a roof of sparkling blue sky. A fountain bubbled softly against one wall, and potted plants had been strategically placed throughout the room, their vibrant green leaves and sweetly-scented flowers subtle reminders of the life-giving power of the sun. Helion had brought us here when we’d arrived, directing us to colorful cushioned seats and a table piled with fruit and cheese and wine. I couldn’t eat a thing, but the wine was welcome, though it was an effort to keep my glass from trembling in my hand.

It had been nearly a week ago, over breakfast, when Rhys said very casually, “Helion invited us to join him in his bed.”

I snorted. “Of course he did. Did you let him down gently?”

“Actually, I told him we’d think about it.”

I stared at my mate for a moment, hoping to see the sparkle in his eyes that would assure me he was making an enormous joke, but he seemed serious, watching me carefully for my reaction. “Rhysand,” I said. “Why in all of Prythian would you have said such a thing?”

“I thought you might be interested.”

“You thought I might be interested? In Helion ?” Rhys leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, his wings shifting to settle behind him.

“Well, you do find him attractive.”

“And wildly intimidating,” I added, frowning as I reached for my tea. “Honestly, Rhys, if you want someone to join us in bed, there are less terrifying options.”

“Like who?” I didn’t shield the thought fast enough and he laughed in surprise and delight as my cheeks turned pink. “Really?” His grin was feral. “Going through High Lords a bit fast, aren’t we?” He chuckled as he shielded against the tea I sent flying.

“You wouldn’t be able to handle sharing anyway,” I said flatly, “so it’s not up for discussion.”

“Is that a challenge?” he purred.

“No, it’s a fact,” I replied, reaching for the teapot to pour a new cup.

“So if I agreed to play nice and share you, you’d accept?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. Frankly, I had no idea why he was so invested in this, but it wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned taking other lovers - all for me, of course. He’d never mentioned inviting another female to share our bed, and I didn’t think he was interested in males himself. “Is this a fantasy of yours?” I asked him bluntly. “Seeing me with another male?” I felt him along the bond: a shiver of anticipation, a soft growl.

Maybe , he purred. If it’s a fantasy of yours, too.

I conjured up an image of Helion, Rhys, and me in bed together and felt my face heating. Maybe I was interested. “I’ll think about it,” was all I said.

I had, indeed, thought about it over the next few days. I’d thought about it an embarrassing amount, in fact. My mate was certainly enough - more than enough, but there was something seductive about the idea of adding another male to our bed, just once. And there was no denying that I found Helion attractive. I wondered if Rhysand did too - I’d never asked him. Honestly, I’d just assumed everyone found Helion attractive.

And so, a few days later, when Rhys and I were curled up on the sofa together and he said, without taking his eyes from the book he was reading, “Helion sent us an invitation for tomorrow night,” I didn’t immediately say no. I didn’t say anything, actually, and after a long pause, Rhys reached over and tugged gently on one of my curls. “Is that a yes?”

“Really, Rhys,” I said with a sigh, “with the mating bond, I don’t think it’s a good idea. You’d end up misting Helion and then what?”

He chuckled. “I’ll be fine,” he said, turning a page of his book as though we arranged to sleep with other High Lords every day.

And so, here we were. Sipping wine at Helion’s, my nerves jangling. How can you be so calm about this? I hissed down the bond.

Maybe I’m just better at hiding it than you are , he teased.

Footsteps neared and I downed the glass and set it on the table - a mistake, for now I had no idea what to do with my hands. I felt Rhys’s laughter and considered throwing one of the pillows at his head.

I’m sure these pillows have seen worse.

I had just flung the pillow when Helion stepped back into the room, oozing sex and power, just as breathtaking as he’d been the first time I saw him, with his bronzed skin and smoldering eyes. And those powerful muscles. I was so distracted that it took me a moment to realize that Tarquin was right behind him. Tarquin. I gaped at them both for a second and then whirled to Rhys.

You did not!

I may have made a suggestion…

“Well,” said Helion, his amber eyes dancing in amusement. “I’m glad to see you’ve made yourself at home.” Rhys flicked a hand at me and the pillows settled back into place.

“I deserved it,” he answered smoothly, his eyes sparkling with starlight.

“No doubt,” Helion said. “Please, help yourself to some wine,” he added, waving Tarquin toward us. The High Lord of Summer looked even more nervous than me as he edged around the sofa and joined me there, an arm’s length away.

“Tarquin,” I breathed. “It’s good to see you again.” He was dressed simply, in an elegant silver tunic trimmed in deep blue that matched his flowing silk pants. The colors suited him, set against his dark skin.

“Likewise,” he replied. He reached for the wine glass that floated to him on a wisp of shadow as he perched on the edge of the sofa. “All is well at the Night Court?”

“Spectacular,” Rhys said lazily.

You cannot be serious with this , I shot back at him.

It was your suggestion . I felt his claws at the edge of my mind, caressing, inviting. Or have you changed your mind?

I scrambled to think of a reply that wouldn't damn me, because I absolutely was not changing my mind now. I thought Helion didn’t like Tarquin?

Who knows what Helion likes? He didn’t hesitate to extend the invitation when I asked. Drink , he added, floating another wine glass to me.

I took it, mind whirling. Shields, shields, shields , I reminded myself. Cauldron forbid anyone hear what was happening in my head at that moment.

Helion folded his arms on the back of Rhysand’s chair, leaning forward on those muscular forearms of his with a lazy smile, taking us all in. His gaze lingered on the curve of my breasts beneath my dress, and I felt my cheeks warm as he gave me a look that was anything but chaste.

“Now that we’re all here,” he drawled, and his honeyed voice was enough to curl my toes. “ Someone asked if there would be rules for tonight.” I glanced at Tarquin, who studied his wine intensely. “We can make any rules we want,” Helion continued, “as long as everyone agrees to them. So I’ll propose the first one. I’ve never had a mated couple in my bed before,” Helion said, and I felt a faint flicker of surprise from Rhys. “I want to be sure that you,” he said, speaking directly to me, “and Rhysand are here for more than each other. Tarquin and I aren’t going to put on a show for you.”

I blinked at Rhys. That’s what we’re here for, right? He shrugged at me. 

“Agreed,” he said.

I nodded. “Agreed.”

“Tarquin?” Helion asked. I turned to find Tarquin staring at us. 

“It’s up to them, isn’t it?” But whatever he saw on Helion’s face caused him to give a quick nod. “I agree.”

I took another drink of wine and turned to Rhys. “I have another rule to suggest,” I said, before I could lose my courage. “We’re all friends,” I tried to ignore the smirk that spread across Helion’s face, “and so I think we should agree to just be ourselves. True to ourselves. Honest.”

There was silence as Rhysand studied me. You want me to share my wings.

Only if you’re comfortable with it . It felt fair to ask considering he’d sprung Tarquin on me.

Since my mate has asked so nicely, he purred, and slowly, his wings unfurled behind him. “Agreed,” he said aloud.

Helion looked positively delighted. “Agreed,” he said. Tarquin gave a nod of agreement too, glancing at me with an unreadable expression before turning away as Helion prowled behind us.

“Do you have a rule to suggest, Tarquin?” He leaned on the sofa between us and I was suddenly aware of every inch of that bronzed skin, radiating heat. Helion’s fingers casually brushed the back of my neck and my breath caught in my chest. I took another sip of wine and tried to ignore the growl of pleasure echoing in the back of my mind.

Tarquin cleared his throat. “If things get to be too… overwhelming,” he said, his eyes darting between each of us as though he was worried about letting his gaze linger in one place too long, “I’d like to be able to stop.”

“That’s a given,” Helion said lightly. “This should be a pleasurable activity. I have no intentions of forcing anyone to do anything.”

“It’s just… I’ve never done this before,” Tarquin explained nervously.

“Neither have we,” Rhysand said, leaning back in the chair and crossing his ankle over his knee. “Helion’s the only one with any experience here.”

“I mean,” Tarquin said more firmly, and I watched the wine shiver as he stared down into the glass, “I’ve never done any of this.”

All three of us stared at him for a moment.

“You’ve never slept with anyone before?” Helion’s voice was sharp as a winter wind. Tarquin shook his head. “Have you kissed anyone?” Helion pressed. Tarquin’s eyes flickered up to us and back down again, embarrassment etched on his face.

“Once.”

Shit, Rhys hissed.

“But why?” I gasped, “Why are you-”

“I was shy when I was younger and then we were Under the Mountain…” He trailed off, but there was no need for an explanation. We all knew why he wouldn’t have taken a lover while they were trapped Under the Mountain.

“I mean, why do you want to start here ?” I asked, waving a hand to indicate the sum and total of Helion’s residence. Tarquin looked directly at me, his fathomless turquoise eyes glittering as they met mine.

“Because even though I knew you belonged with another, I’ve loved you since the day I first saw you,” he said quietly. “And I would have been an idiot to decline Rhysand’s offer tonight.”

Shit , Rhysand said again, and there was a real note of panic this time.

“You’re here just because of me?” I demanded. My head was spinning, but perhaps this was still salvageable. Perhaps I could talk him out of it. Tarquin’s gaze flickered to Rhysand.

“No,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Not just you.”

Sweet merciful Mother , Rhys groaned.

You deserve this , I hissed back.

Helion gave a dramatic sigh. “Isn’t anyone here for me?”

“I am,” I said boldly, and I was rewarded with a warm laugh that sent shivers down my spine.

“My dearest Feyre,” Helion purred, and his fingers resumed tracing those delightful little circles on the back of my neck. “Since we’re in a sharing mood tonight, I should probably tell you-” I felt Rhys go terribly, terribly still as Helion leaned in close- “that I have never, ever been in love with you.” The tension went out of us both in a rush as he purred in my ear, “Though I will admit to fantasizing about your exquisite curves quite often.”

I laughed breathlessly, desperately grateful for his smooth confidence in the face of imminent disaster. He slipped his arms around me and I leaned into his warmth, surprised at how easy it was to enjoy his closeness, and felt him brush a kiss to my cheek. “Let me propose a rule on behalf of Tarquin,” he said, “that we take everything slow tonight, so as not to overwhelm anyone.”

“You don’t have to-” Tarquin started, but I interrupted him.

“I agree. Slow, for all of us.” I shot a look at Rhys, who nodded his agreement. We turned to Tarquin.

“Agreed,” he said, and I thought I heard a note of relief in his voice.

Helion swept my glass from my unresisting fingers and drank it down before returning it to me. “A mated couple and a virgin in my bed tonight. Cauldron save us.” He laughed as he pushed off the sofa. “Do you have a rule to add, Rhysand?”

I had one until pretty Tarquin made that announcement , he growled at me.

I sent the world’s strongest ‘I told you so’ down the bond and his eyes narrowed.

“I do,” he said to Helion, those violet eyes pinning me to the sofa. “Less of a rule and more of a request though.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Three nights,” said Rhysand. I felt my heart skitter.

Now you’re really kidding.

Don’t think you can handle it?

I don’t think Tarquin can.

Rhys purred at me and I lost track of my thoughts.

“Since we’re taking things slow, we stay for three nights, not just one,” Rhys said. I didn’t dare look at Tarquin.

“Ah, there’s a reason you’ve always been my favorite, Rhys,” Helion said with a chuckle. “You are all welcome to stay for three nights, if you wish. I suspect it would be my very great pleasure to have you, in fact.”

Those violet eyes sparkled at me with his challenge. “Agreed,” I said quickly, before I could change my mind. 

“Agreed,” I heard Tarquin say faintly. What in all the realms had we gotten ourselves into?

“Well then, if no one has another rule to suggest…?” Helion paused for a moment, but no one else spoke. “Then I assume since these are out, they’re fair game.” He’d crossed behind Rhys’s chair again, and I watched as he drew a finger along the edge of one silken wing. Rhys shuddered - I shuddered, and I realized he was sending the sensations down the bond to me, inviting me to share in the fires that Helion’s touches were igniting.

Gods damn you , I hissed at him.

You wanted the wings , he growled back.

I quickly set down the empty glass before I snapped it in two.

“I once bedded an Illyrian,” Helion said, his voice dropping to a sensuous murmur. “Amazing how terribly backward they are about sleeping with other males. If only they would embrace it, I’m certain they could make training camps so much more enjoyable.” I shivered as he ran a hand over the delicate membranes of Rhys’s wings, causing him to gasp. Helion slowed, waiting to see if Rhys would protest his attentions, but he didn’t, and Helion smiled as he continued. “It was most satisfying, learning all his sensitive spots. I wonder if yours are the same.”

Rhysand arched suddenly beneath Helion’s hand and warmth flooded me.

Mother save me , Rhys whispered. How does he know exactly where to touch?

I’ll have to ask him for lessons , I breathed back. I felt a flicker of amusement before he was lost in the haze of sensations and I yielded again to his kindling passions, my heart pounding and my hands tingling with the desire to touch and to be touched as I warmed under Rhysand’s thoughts.

I wondered if I’d somehow summoned him, for I caught a breath of Tarquin’s salt and ocean scent just before I felt his fingers press tentatively against the small of my back. I leaned into him and heard his breath catch as his hand slid over my hip, gathering me close. What the hell , I thought to myself, throwing caution to the wind. Tarquin was here now; we could sort the rest out later. I turned and reached for him. His eyes darkened with desire and I shivered as I slipped my arms around his neck, running my fingers over the soft fabric of his tunic.

“Hello Feyre,” he whispered, his smile shy. I smiled back and leaned in to kiss him - his second kiss ever, I reminded myself as his trembling hands caught at the fabric of my dress. But whatever Helion was doing to Rhysand, the effect arced through me like lightning, and I arched against Tarquin in response. He groaned as he drew me into his lap and I could feel him, hard already, pressing against my thigh. I turned slightly to see Helion bend down and whisper something in Rhys’s ear. Rhys raised his eyes to me and the bond went taut between us just as Helion ran his hands flat down the front of Rhys’s wings, bringing Rhys to the brink of release. I hovered there with him, a breath away from breaking, but somehow I managed to keep it together as I felt him tumble over the edge. Darkness flooded the room, flecked with stars; I turned to press my face to Tarquin’s shoulder and felt his arms tighten around me as I collected myself.

One breath. Two.

Tarquin pressed a kiss to my temple.

Three. Four. Five. I felt the darkness recede, and my mate touched my mind gently.

Are you okay?

Yes. Are you?

“If you’d like to follow me,” Helion said, his voice amused. “There are far more comfortable places to spend the rest of the evening.”

I uncoiled myself and managed to get to my feet with the help of a solicitous hand from Tarquin, who watched me like a hawk to be certain I wouldn’t fall over before he stood and followed Helion. I took a few unsteady steps toward Rhys and held a hand out to him. He took it and pulled me into his lap, brushing a stray curl back from my eyes.

“Did you enjoy that?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” I admitted. “Did you?”

“You know that I did,” he growled. "You could have blocked me out, you know.”

“As if I would,” I said with a smile, and I leaned in to kiss him.

I think we’re already breaking the first rule , he purred at me. Did you enjoy kissing pretty Tarquin? I blushed, but there was no glint of jealousy in his eyes.

“He smells nice,” I managed to say.

Rhysand laughed and leaned in to nip at my ear. “I certainly enjoyed watching it,” he growled wickedly, and my whole body tingled with anticipation. “Shall we go and join them?”

“Yes,” I breathed, and he chuckled again as we got to our feet and followed the sound of our host’s voice down the hallway, wondering what other pleasures Helion had planned for us.