On Her Axis Read online

  "Hey, wait a minute. Isn't this Ponne's?" I asked, holding up the jacket Tawn said Marre had said he just had to have, resulting in Tawn offering to bring it to him and asking me to go with. I wouldn’t want to drive through here alone, either.

  The winters are as long as the summers in Folkten, the weather sometimes stretching to ten months of weather for one season.

  Obviously, they’re still experiencing the joys of a purple winter wonderland.

  "Uhmm... he has one too!" Tawn said quickly. She’d said it a little too loud, and I looked at her funny.

  My bad, dude! Jeez! I thought, holding up my hands in an ‘I come in peace’ gesture.

  "Okay, no need to get riled up, you goose, I'm going. No dirty talk while I'm gone either," I scolded, tsk-ing her and wagging my finger at her admonishingly. "You'll fog up all the windows. It will be like that seen from Titanic," I teased, making funny sex ‘ooh’ ‘ahh’ noises and faces at her.

  "Get out! You nut!" Tawn laughed, tossing her candy wrapper from earlier at me as I hopped out, pulling my hoodie up to shield my face.

  I grabbed the thick winter jacket for Marre and shut the door, sticking my tongue out at her before I turned and trudged up towards the front steps.

  I knocked on the door and waited patiently while my body tried desperately to keep warm in the frigid temperatures outside.

  Marre answered the door in nothing but a towel, and I stood there gaping at him.

  Ohhh... mama...

  My tongue must be hanging out of my head right now. Really hope not, though, might freeze off out here.

  My eyes glazed over at the sight of all those lovely pink muscles out on display for my little hazel eyes to just gobble right up.

  Marre frowned as I stood there, rudely ogling his magnificent male form.

  All four of his arms still had little droplets of water trickling haphazardly down, leaving a transparent trail in their wake.

  The frown turned into a scowl as he sniffed the air. He narrowed his eyes at me and mine grew wide.

  I blushed, looking away hurriedly, realizing suddenly that this was Perre not Marre. I’d been brazenly ogling the wrong brother!

  "Uhm, sorry," I apologized quickly, “wrong person.”

  I fidgeted with the jacket in my hands as he just stood there staring at me.

  "Is Marre home?" I asked, clearing my throat.

  Perre eyed me skeptically and his lower arms crossed over his chest, his upper arms hugging each side of the door frame.

  "How do you know I'm not Marre?" he grumbled sarcastically, like he didn't believe I could really tell them apart, even for a minute, and smirked at me.

  His hairless pink brow lifted up on one side to compliment his condescending remark perfectly.

  "Because," I replied sweetly, despite my irritation at his Mr. Negative-pants-attitude, "Marre doesn't have a pole the size of Juton up his ass."

  I smiled at him as sugary sweet as possible, but clenched my hands, which were hidden in the folds of the jacket I was holding, tightly.

  Perre glared at me and leaned down until our faces were closer together. "You have a big mouth on you, princess," he growled out, his freshly showered scent so close it made my body involuntarily respond.

  I held my breath to stave off any more hormone inducing scents from the super surly Cardanian.

  Perre closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, probably trying to keep himself from strangling me.

  He jerked suddenly and inhaled, slow and deep, his eyes opening back up and locking on me predatorily. "You should put it to better use," he murmured huskily, smiling nastily at me and leaning in towards my face, his lower arms reaching out for me.

  I jumped back and shrieked as panic engulfed me, flying off of the front porch steps, falling hard with an 'oomph', then nothing as my head made contact with the hard, compacted, dirt ground and everything suddenly went black.

  Be our guest?

  Perre

  "Oh, Shit!" I shouted as Tawn's mouthy best friend flew off the front porch and landed hard, backwards on the ground, her head hitting the compact dirt with a loud smack.

  She's not moving! I thought, panicking for the little, potty mouthed, princess. I rushed over and kneeled by her head, ignoring the cold and the fact that I was only wearing a towel, feeling around it carefully for any injury.

  I didn’t mean for her to knock herself out! I’d just wanted to scare her a little, breathe in a little more of her scent, grab her up and... Wait. Grab her up and what?

  She’s a smart mouth with no sense of self preservation. A five foot and some change little bit with a...

  "Mags! Mags!" Tawn yelled, interrupting my train of thought, hurrying over as fast as her long legs could carry her in the snow, her phone clutched to her chest in her palm.

  "She's bleeding!" Tawn shrieked, freaking out when my hand came back bloody.

  "What's going on?" Marre demanded, walking outside, a kitchen towel in his hand, a frown suddenly marring his face. Probably from when the smell of blood hit his nose.

  Marre's eyes widened and he ran over when he spotted Magenta on the ground, unresponsive.

  Marre pushed me out of the way, and I was so startled by his reaction, I sat there momentarily stunned, watching as my normally calm, cool and collected brother's hands shook as he administered first aid to the curvy little red headed, foul mouth’s minor head wound.

  "Wake up, sweet heart," Marre pleaded as I told him a revised version of what happened. ‘She was startled and fell’.

  Magenta moaned after a moment and groaned, "Oh, my head."

  She blinked her eyes a couple of times and squinted up at a relieved Marre, who planted a quick kiss on her lips.

  "What happened?" she inquired, trying to get up.

  "Don't move, love, I'll help you. You fell and hit your head," Marre murmured soothingly, smoothing the hair back from her face as she glanced up at him and smiled tentatively, sighing as he ran his hand over her face lovingly.

  I was suddenly jealous of my brother for his already developed connection to the little ill-mannered brat. I want a smile from her, not him, I thought petulantly, trying to squash the feeling. It was kind of hard to do, though.

  I know who Mags, Tawn's best friend, is, but I've never really gotten to know her. All I really know is she attempted to unman a groper at a birthday party once, erm, wait, maybe it was one of those baby things... a shower?

  Whatever.

  Either way, I know some about her from word of mouth, but have never really conversed with her before.

  I knew Marre usually chatted her up, being more social at times than me, but I didn't know he was serious about her.

  When did this happen?

  Why didn't he tell me?

  Because you've been an inconsiderate selfish prick, maybe? I admonished myself.

  Probably.

  "I'm going to pick you up now, goddess, okay?" Marre warned her, picking Mags up when she indicated she was ready.

  He picked her up gingerly, like she was made of glass, and carried her into the house.

  I tried to squelch this stupid desire I'd suddenly and unwillingly developed to hog tie Marre and tend to the little heathen myself.

  I paused, shocked as I entered the foyer and realized the mental block I'd put up to hide myself from Marre had fallen down temporarily, and we’d melded, my body humming happily with the twin bond connection I'd been depriving myself of.

  It's like a coffee drinker who just took his first sip of the day- my brain was giving an 'ahh' of relief.

  I concentrated really hard on masking myself and still staying connected, but sometimes I slip up, and I know he just got some of my jumbled up thoughts too. So, normally, to avoid slip ups, I just block him out completely.

  That must explain my sudden intense feelings for the little evil brat, I reasoned trying unconvincingly to convince myself that’s what it was.

  Surely, it had nothing to do with the fact that she's the first f
emale I've ever met that could face me head on when I'm in a snit and not even flinch.

  Her scent was something else too, but it could have just been my imagination running away from me. I highly doubt she really smells that good.

  Doesn't have anything to do with the fact she can dish it out too and isn't afraid to bluntly tell me to suck it, I thought and grinned, mentally replaying her telling me I had a pole up my ass.

  She really can tell us apart, I thought happily, warmed a little by the idea.

  I think she really sees us as two different people, I contemplated, glancing into the living room as Marre and Tawn fussed over Mags.

  I had this indescribable pull towards the couch, telling me to coddle and cuddle the little wet bundle huddled there and comfort her with my body heat.

  Tease her until her cheeks flamed red and she either spit some of her inner demon at me or we jump each other like horny toads and I rip her clothes off, sating myself with her luscious body.

  Marre shifted uncomfortably, and I glared at him accusingly as my cock mirrored his, raising a ridiculously obvious steel pole at the site of Mags trying to pull her snow wetted shirt away from her chest, giving us a good look see at the tops of her bountiful breasts.

  I glared at Marre when he glanced up at me, a smug smile on his stupid pink face.

  Bastard.

  I stalked to my room and grabbed my favorite shirt and some sleep pants, slamming drawers and stomping around as I went. I walked back into the living room and marched right up to the couch, handing them to the little heathen, practically shoving them at her.

  She just stared at my out thrust hands and the bundle I held in them. She glared at me when I leaned in to give her the clothes and gave me a mouthed 'I know what you did, jerk face', making sure that no one else saw.

  Then she smiled at me sweetly saying, "Oh, thank you, Pearl, how sweet of you." She batted her lashes and took the clothes out of my hands, smirking at me when I turned red.

  Tawn and Marre were too busy covering up their snickers to notice.

  "Obviously, you must have hit your head a little too hard when you fell, princess," I snickered, giving her a smile that was all teeth.

  Mags glared at me openly now, gripping the change of clothes in a death grip, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

  I chuckled inwardly, enjoying the game she'd unwittingly started.

  So, she has no one to blame but herself.

  I looked at Tawn concerned and told her, "You know, she really shouldn't go anywhere else tonight. She could get worse if she's already getting names scrambled up. I don't think it's a good idea to move her in her current condition."

  I kept my face as serious as possible while my little heathen turned three shades of red.

  "Do you really think so?" Marre asked worriedly, truly concerned for Mags’ wellbeing.

  I don't really think the little brat is concussed, but I'm not ready to end our little game yet. If she leaves we'll never have a victor, and I, of course, intend to win.

  I enjoy sparring with the curvy little hellion, I realized as a smile jerked up one corner of my mouth. In fact, I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun.

  Tawn was watching everything, like a spectator at a tennis match, her eyes bouncing interestedly between the three of us.

  She looked at my half smile and winked, turning to Mags and covering her mouth as tears started to slowly track down her face.

  Talk about flipping a switch. Good god, she's evil, I thought in admiration. She's even better at that than Jaye is.

  "Oh, Mags," Tawn sniffled, her voice catching at the end, "promise me you'll stay and let Marre look after you? I couldn't forgive myself if something happened and no one was there to help."

  She turned worried eyes on Marre and looked at him pleadingly. "She lives all by herself and if she might be concussed, you'll need to wake her up every hour to make sure she's alright."

  "Wait just a minute here! If I am concussed, which I doubt I even am," Mags snapped, glaring at me still, "then shouldn't I be going to a hospital? Not camping out at your place?"

  "Perre knows all about that stuff, he was a medic in the military," Marre said, gesturing at me gratefully.

  "Besides,” I cut in helpfully, “we don't have a hospital close by. Closest thing there is around here is a birthing facility with mid wives, like the one Molilah had Eilahna at."

  "See," Tawn said happily, "so it's settled, then. Mags, you stay here with Marre and Perre, and then I'll come back for you tomorrow. It's perfect!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in finality.

  One dirty look from Mags and Tawn quickly sobered up her expression, pasting the concerned best friend look back onto her face.

  "Like I really have a choice!" Mags muttered, exasperated, throwing her arms up into the air and letting them drop at her sides.

  "Nope," Marre, myself and Tawn all said at the same time, earning a growl of frustration from Mags.

  Aw, nuts!

  Magenta

  Could this day get any worse? I seethed.

  I'm totally stuck here! Tawn having taken off a half hour ago to head home, leaving me with my knight in shining armor, sigh, and the devil incarnate, grrr.

  Perre is such an ass! If he hadn't tried to breach my personal space, in what I’m sure was a last ditch effort to intimidate me, simultaneously sending my hormones into space, then I wouldn’t even be in this mess!

  I never would have fallen, and he never would have been given a chance to play ‘Evil Nurse Nancy’ with me.

  “Male's a slave driver,” I griped, muttering to myself while scowling grumpily at the strong, well-muscled, broad back of the demon lord in question as he made some nasty smelling concoction at the stove that he swears will help the hammer pounding an anvil repeatedly in my brain.

  At least he put some damn clothes on and he’s not as distracting anymore. Yeah, Mags, keep telling yourself that!

  I’d changed out of my drenched clothes shortly after Tawn had left, hanging up all of my now snow purple colored clothes in the guest bathroom's shower to dry, so I too am, thankfully, fully dressed and dried now.

  Marre entered the room right then, carrying a fresh, warm blanket, some vid disks, and a pair of comfy looking socks.

  "Here you are, my sweet," Marre called sweetly, handing me the socks and setting everything else down by the couch.

  He walked over to me and scooped me up from my seat at the counter. I squeaked at his abrupt motions.

  "Put me down!" I protested half-heartedly, feigning irritation, but ruined it when he jiggled me a little and I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  Marre nuzzled me and I gasped, squirming in his arms. His lower arms slid up underneath me to keep my wiggling self from falling out of his upper arms.

  “Miss me, sweet heart?” he whispered as he nipped playfully at my neck, then growled, eliciting another gasp and a giggle as it both aroused and tickled my sensitive skin.

  He ran his tongue teasingly along the column of my tender throat, and I grew wet instantly, gripping his shoulders, my finger nails digging in, breathing becoming a little ragged as he paid particular attention to the place where my neck and shoulder meet.

  What the heck, maybe I am concussed. Who is this flirtatious lady, and where did shy Mags go?

  I swear Marre brings something wild and free out in me that makes me want to pounce him and lick him from head to toe. It's like I can't seem to help myself but get aroused when he gets all playful like that.

  Makes him so yummy! I think my fall might have jiggled my brain a little too much.

  "None of that," Perre growled out from the kitchen, his back still turned to us, hands at the stove.

  Oh, great, he can smell us from over there.

  Oh, joy! I'm stuck in a house with two bloodhounds until sometime tomorrow.

  "She has a concussion, Marre, control yourself," Perre barked out angrily at his frisky twin.

  Mar
re pulled back reluctantly, and I glared accusingly at Perre's back, ignoring the grin that spread across Marre's face and the chuckle that he’d let slip out.

  "How's your head, my fair maiden?" Marre asked teasingly, leaning in next to my ear so it came out as an intimate whisper.

  I shivered in his arms as his breath cascaded over my ear as he did so.

  "Might have a concussion, probably don't, but I might," I interjected, running my hands over the ridges of his head.

  I giggled when they raised up at my touch, but pulled my hands back quickly when they started whistling alarmingly.

  "Ooops, sorry," I apologized, my eyes huge as saucers, shoving my hands into my lap.

  Marre set me down on the couch, closing his eyes as he shook himself, gooseflesh breaking out all over his body.

  After a moment, his ridges eased down and the whistling stopped.

  He opened his eyes and looked at me, his chocolate depths smoldering at me as he told me gruffly, "It's alright, goddess."

  He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine, tentatively at first, as if to test his welcome, but at my acquiescence he went for broke, leaning over me and plundering the depths of my mouth with his skilled lips and tongue.

  I gripped his shirt and pulled, trying to bring him closer. Ever the gentleman, he obliged and was practically on top of me when a sound penetrated my befuddled mind.

  I didn't catch what the sound was, but Marre must have from his reaction.

  He growled against my lips and released both sets of his arms, which had wrapped themselves around me at some point, eagerly exploring my person.

  Fearing he might pull away, I grabbed his head and pulled him back down, claiming his talented lips for my own.

  There was another growl, this one more distant, more threat than sensual growl, and Marre pulled back suddenly, ending our glorious kiss.

  No! I whimpered out loud. What gives?

  I was quite enjoying that and I thought he was too.

  Perre was standing over me suddenly, Marre having fallen backwards onto the other end of the couch.