Free Mating Rituals [Impulse 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Zara Chase Page A

me.”
    “Rafe needs to know about this,” Tyrone said. “Perhaps he’ll have some ideas.”
    “I sure as hell hope so, because I don’t have a clue where to go from here.”
    “Let me know if I can do anything more,” Mikael said, slapping Kane’s shoulder.
    “You know, it could all be bullshit,” Tyrone said as they made their way to the Cat’s Whiskers. “Not being able to mate with anyone else if you’ve been with a woman, I mean. Perhaps our ancestors invented the myth centuries ago to keep young, testosterone-fuelled shifters in line and prevent them from introducing unsuitable mates. Living with shifters ain’t for the fainthearted, but youngsters don’t always see it that way.”
    “Wouldn’t surprise me,” Kane said after a moment’s silence.
    “I mean, look at Vadim and Zayd. Their mate is quarter-shifter. They were totally compelled by Talia, just as we are with Aisha, but they thought they couldn’t have her because she wasn’t pure human. Turned out the opposite was true and their powers have been enhanced because of her partial-shifter blood.”
    “Yeah, that’s true. And because Maria broke the shifter code you’re now in the shifter equivalent of divorce, free to mate again with either human or shifter. Because I need to mate with a human, and you and I want to remain an item, we need to share the same mate.” Kane leveled a serious gaze on Tyrone as they walked along. “If we can’t sort my shit, there’s nothing stopping you mating with Aisha. I can still play with the pair of you, even if I can’t actually fuck her.”
    Tyrone stopped walking and stared at Kane. “You’re kidding me, right?”
    “I didn’t say it would be ideal, but I can’t bear the thought of losing either of you. We’ll explain it to Aisha somehow, make her understand.”
    “We’ll get through this and make it come out the way we want. No half measures for either of us,” Tyrone said emphatically. “Besides, there’s the small matter of a vindictive ex-mate who’ll stop at nothing to get me back.” Tyrone shuddered. “I don’t wanna think about what she might do if she found out I was even considering mating again.”
    Kane scowled. “Yeah, I know, but at least you’re aware of what you need to do. I don’t even know how the fuck I’m supposed to figure out if I even have a problem. If I take a chance and mate with Aisha, having already fucked another female, I could finish up losing all my powers. That would kill me, but so does the thought of passing up on Aisha.” Kane extended the claws on one hand and raked them down his thigh. “Shit, what a fucking mess!”
    Tyrone pushed through the door to the Cat’s Whiskers. “Let’s see if our leader has any brilliant insights to share with us this morning. I could sure use some wise advice.”
    “Amen to that.”
    It was early in the day and, being a nocturnal colony, the bar was still empty. Only Chantal, Rafe and Vilas’s human mate, was there getting things set up for the breakfast trade. It would start at a normal person’s lunch hour.
    “Hey, Chantal.” Tyrone leaned across the bar and kissed her cheek. “How you doing, gorgeous? Those guys treating you okay? If not, you know where to come.”
    Chantal smiled at them both. “I’m doing all the work, as usual,” she replied without rancor. “While those two mates of mine sleep off the effects of a night out doing whatever it is you big pussycats do on your nights out. I prefer not to ask.”
    “Baby,” Kane said, laughing as he, too, leaned in to kiss her. “You have no idea what you’re missing.”
    “Leave her alone and find your own mate.” A bleary-eyed Vilas wandered into the bar wearing just a pair of shorts and slipped a protective arm around Chantal’s waist. “Morning, darlin’,” he said, kissing her hard on the lips.
    Kane and Tyrone shared a look tinged with envy. Rafe and Vilas’s love for and protection of Chantal was common knowledge in the colony.