Joely Sue Burkhart - Queen Takes Rook

For my Beloved Sis.

Thank you to my comma warriors and beta readers:

Mads Schofield, Shelbi Gehring, Alyssa Muller,

Meagan Cannon West, Sherri Meyer,

Laura Walker, Briana Walker,

Stephanie Cunningham, Kiersten Wukitsch,

Kaila Duff, and Jennifer Swan

I would never have thought it possible to fit four full-sized Blood in a double-sized bed, but for our queen, we made it so.

The only way to make it work at all was for her to sleep on top of us. It was a testament to the depths of her exhaustion that she managed to sleep so deeply on such rock-hard mattresses. Though surely Daires constant purr helped.

He was curled up tight against my side, his head on my shoulder. His fucking ridiculous hair in my face. Though she liked his longer hair, and Nevarres, so the rest of the Blood were already joking about starting a hair-growing contest. And yeah, my hair was longer too. The first asshole who thought to try and give me a trim would find himself short a few choice body parts.

Ezra crowded close to Daire, though if he moved an inch, hed end up on the floor, and likely drag Daire off with him. Guillaume lay on his side facing me, his thigh locked over mine and Sharas so he didnt fall off. His position put her ass tight into his groin, so I dont think he minded in the slightest. She had her face buried in Ezras chest, though I had no idea how she could sleep with that bear rug tickling her nose.

The six-hour mark approached, when I normally changed who was in bed with her. With her sleeping so deeply, though, I didnt plan to jostle her with new Blood sliding in. The two newest Blood, the Zaniyah twins, were chomping at the bit for their chance to join her. Not that I gave a fuck. They could wait. She had plenty of Blood ahead of them.

Maybe it was petty of me, but Id do nothing to make it easier for them to come to my queens bed. I still had a bitter taste in my mouth from how House Zaniyah had welcomed my queen to their nest by not revealing the geas laid on their blood circle. Shara had broken that geas, but itd cost her greatly, and Id certainly never trust a single person from Zaniyah again.

:Maytes here,: Mehen said from the guest-quarters door. :Shes asking to enter.:

I especially didnt trust their queen.

I would have asked why, but it was only four oclock in the morning. It could only be for one reason.

Shara had enjoyed her first foray with a queen in the grotto, but I wasnt sure that shed want to indulge again. Shed been very clear in what she wanted. She didnt want us to touch the other queen. She didnt want to touch Maytes Blood, which would make taking this queen into her bed more complicated, unlike the light and easy lovemaking wed shared in the grotto.

:She comes alone,: Mehen added. :No alpha. No Blood.:

I huffed out a breath. Fucking hell. If my queen tried to go somewhere without me

Every muscle in my body objected. Strenuously. Though I had allowed her out of my sight already, like when shed taken Mehen. Id hated every moment, even though she certainly hadnt gone to him for sex, but to free him from his prison.

What if one day she ordered me to stay behind while she went to another queens bed? If she ordered us all to stay behind?

The thought made the rock troll heave beneath my skin, begging to be freed so he could smash down the entire house around us. Though the truth sliced through me, shredding my heart into ribbons. If she ordered it I would do it. We all would. No Blood ordered his queen. Not one. Even her alpha.

Although it was petty of me, I gave the order to Mehen to allow Mayte inside simply to torment her alpha, whod been forced to stay behind. :Cover yourselves if you can,: I told the rest of the Blood. :You know our queens opinion of pants around other women.:

Ezra tugged the sheet up over him and Daire, cursing under his breath when he almost fell off the bed. Guillaume grabbed the corner of the blanket and at least managed to cover his pertinent parts.

Dressed in a thin, long robe that dragged on the floor behind her, Mayte stepped into the bedroom, and inhaled deeply when she saw all of us in the bed. She tiptoed closer and met my gaze.

I felt a tickle in the back of my mind. Fucking hell. She wanted to talk to me through her bond with Shara. I debated for a moment, not relishing the touch of a queen in my head who wasnt mine. But she was trying to be polite, I assumed, by not waking Shara, so I allowed her access to my mind. :Yes?:

:Thank you for allowing me to see her. I cant sleep.: She laughed wryly in the bond, her gaze locked on my queen. :I wanted to be near her, even if:

She didnt finish the thought, but I understood completely. I wanted to be near her every moment, day or night, whether she wanted me involved in whatever lovemaking she wished to indulge in or not.

:She sleeps like this every night? With so many?:

:She would sleep with us all not on guard duty if we had a big enough bed.:

:Oh.: Her eyes widened and she nodded. :If she graces us with a visit again, I will see to it. May I lie with her? I dont mind being on top, or squished. Whatevers necessary.:

:Its not that simple.:

Her gaze dropped to the floor, her shoulders drooping. I didnt want to send her away if Shara would like waking up to see the other queens eyes shining back at her. But she wouldnt be pleased if Mayte touched any of us, even to get close to her. Getting everybody out of bed, naked, while not letting the other queen get an eyeful...

:We could shift, one by one,: Guillaume suggested.

Ezra growled out a cursesoftly, because Shara stirred and nuzzled his chest. :I dont want to leave. Not for her.:

:Yeah, I get that,: Guillaume replied. :Me, neither. But what would Shara prefer? After one more night, well go home to her nest and have her to ourselves again. Mayte only has two nights, and this night is nearly over.: