A Drive, a Bet & a Prize: Pt. 01

Quick author's note: Thank you for being even remotely curious about this story! While an avid reader of many stories/ series on here, this is my first time publishing. A little insight upfront, this story is a tease in part one, with a potful of simmering sexual tension. Totally get it if that's not your flavor, feel free to pass on this. However, if you are still reading, know there is a part two where all the "action" happens. Hope you enjoy!

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It was a beautiful night for a drive. A night where the moonlight sparkled as it touched the leaves on top of trees, where the country bugs sang sweet melodies, and the spring air carried a cool breeze with the faint scent of earth.

They had been driving for hours already, racing against the pending sunrise to make their next destination in the city. They each hoped the destination would shed some light on the answers they sought, as the game they unknowingly entered had deadly consequences.

While each had existing non-romantic relationships with each other, it was fairly new, the idea of this trio working cohesively as a unit. New and old bonds broke and formed as they found themselves as players in the game, instead of masterminds controlling the outcome. The drive gave the trio its first period of relative calm to process what had happened and their futures.

Well, as calm as it could be for two male supernatural beings riding in the front seat of the car, trying to outdo the other.

"Please!" Maverick exclaimed. "I would leave you in my dust in a foot race."

"There is no way you're faster than a werewolf! How many people do you see beating a wolf in a foot race? "Cade quickly replied, turning in the passenger seat to face Maverick.

"Well, I am not a human, so this is a pointless argument." Maverick retorted with growing annoyance, his fangs growing ever so slightly.

"Jesus! Would you two stop arguing?!?" Scarlett shouted from the back seat, rubbing the side of her head to ease her mounting headache.

Moments passed.

The air within the car growing thicker amongst the trio, the longer the silence stretched on like the looming country road before them. Off in the distance, an owl's hoot drew Scarlett's attention, causing her to release a heavy sigh.

"Look," Scarlett said, sitting forward and reaching between the two men to show them, "we are coming up on a vacant farm. Why don't you both get out and settle this? Maybe if you two blow off some steam, we can ride to the city in peace."

"-let's do it! -"Cade agreed.

"-If we must-"Maverick replied.

Slowing down, Maverick pulled the Porsche Taycan off the road and parked near the crumbling barn. The luxury car was definitely out of place, but since they had not seen another person on the road, it seemed worth the risk of stopping.

The silence of the empty farm brought a sense of relief to Scarlett's ears as Maverick killed the engine. If they would let her, Scarlett would have basked in the silence of the lonely farm for the rest of the night.

But that was not on the agenda tonight. Instead, both men leaped out of the car, eager energy buzzing through them as they taunted each other while mapping out their race routes.

As annoyed as Scarlett had been with their constant arguing, she couldn't deny the growing hints of arousal at the idea of each man testing their alphas abilities on each other. In fact, she had fantasized about moments like this in her dreams but never dared to think they would one day become reality.

Still in the back seat of the Porsche, she observed as they approached her with cheeky smiles plastered on their faces. Both showed hints of their supernatural races as their unique fangs graced their lips. With gleeful caution, Scarlett swung the door open and sighed as her bare feet touched the cool grass.

It had been sometime since she had last connected with nature and she was past due for a meditation session. Still, the small dose of grounding, even if only for a minute, was more than she had experienced in the past week.

"Hey Kitten," Cade's voice drew her attention, as he leaned his muscular arm onto the outside of the car next to her head, "We were talking and decided if you are willing, Fangs and I might make this contest a little more interesting. "

His upper lip quirked, revealing his own set of growing fangs on the upper and lower sets of his mouth. It was a skill few could master without fully shifting into their animal form and served as a reminder of how much power Cade could wield, even when he played himself off like an aloof drifter.

For Scarlett, the sight of his fangs sent a rush of excitement and adrenaline through her body, but outwardly she remained poised.

Raising an eyebrow, she calmly said, "Oh? -"

"- We decided we needed to blow off some steam like you so kindly suggested," Maverick interrupted, his tone dripped with sarcastic notes. "That is, if you will be a part of our little contest."

"And how do you propose that I'd be a part of your contest?" Scarlett inquired; her curiosity heightened.

As if he teleported, Maverick's upper body suddenly hung over the top of the open door on Scarlett's left side.

Ruby hazed eyes peered down at her with hunger as Maverick proposed their plan. "We'd like to make a little wager on our race."

To herself, Scarlett thought - No! Surely, they can't mean...

Out loud she said, "Oh? And what might this wager be?" surprising herself at the calm bravado she maintained.

For just a moment, her mind raced in several directions at once, the scenes from her fantasies coming to the forefront again. Cade's finger running down the right side of her cheek, however, brought her fully back to the present as he chuckled at her glazed expression.

"Well, we were thinking the winner of our race would claim you as the prize." Cade answers.

The oxygen seemed to evaporate from the surrounding air, as Scarlett stopped breathing and thinking. This was exactly what her horny libido wanted, and the sudden opportunity for it to become reality felt too good to be true.

Glancing between them, she noticed how Maverick's predatory eyes were so acutely focused on her movements; there was no way he missed the subtle shift in her expression and body. Which only caused her body to heat with more desire.

As if inside her mind, Maverick darkly chuckles, "Oh, Red, I didn't know you were into breath play too."

The ruby haze of his eyes brightened, and Scarlett watched his fans lengthen. Firey heat flushed her cheeks with embarrassment, mixing with the pools of desire already present. It made her want to run away from them for the thrill of being chased.

Except her body remained still. Her lungs burned at the lack of fresh air.

Acting as if it were its own entity, her magick chaotically channeled from the center of her soul--the source of all magick for hedge witches--through her body, into the ground, and back. Hedges witches were always one step in their magick and one step in the mundane world. In this moment for Scarlett, the magick flowing through her was an endless energy exchange with the earth, as nature tried to correct the balance of power she was exerting.

Had either of the men been more aware of their surroundings instead of solely focusing on her, they might have noticed the oddity of the air around them or the slight tremor pulsating in the earth beneath them.

Instead, all they could hear, see, smell was Scarlett.

"Now let that breath go, so we can have your answer," Maverick instructed with just a touch of authority.

He could use more if he wanted, but Scarlett got the impression he was testing her limits to see what she would allow. Hearing the command, though, did something delicious to Scarlett, while another part of her was relieved that he understood her need.

With her lips pursed, she blew out the breath she was holding, maintaining Maverick's almost intrusive gaze. His jaw clenched in response at the sight of her, but out of hunger, desire or both, Scarlett wasn't sure.

"Tsk, tsk" Maverick interrupted her non-verbal head nod in response to his question. "We want your words, Red."

The absence of playfulness in his voice highlighted the dominant vampire who ruled his coven and commanded obedience. The ease with which he switched into the scene only enhanced the effect it had on Scarlett's body, sending coils of pleasure coursing through her. Her eyes slightly glazed as her mouth became parched, and her heartbeat increased.

Taking both men's nearness in, Scarlett noticed several things that made it feel like she was seeing them for the first time again. First, Cade seemed all too happy to let Maverick take charge and direct the scene. While Cade wasn't currently demanding her attention, he also hadn't stopped touching her shoulder since he had shifted to her right side. For a lone alpha wolf, his behavior made some sense to her but also left with her more questions.

Second, Maverick had taken on an eerily stillness that revealed the truer side of his vampiric nature. Most beings, supernatural and human, had an undeniable movement to them regardless of whether they tried to be still. One of the more terrifying things about vampires was their ability to still their bodies completely, like living statues. Sure, gargoyles could also do this, but in the presence of a being who could do this at will, it brought Scarlett chills and thrills.

Swallowing, she watched as his eyes followed the motion along her throat before returning to her gaze. A silent dare passed through his expression, almost begging her to move so he could pounce.

Letting the moment grow, not with indecision but for the fun of it, she finally said, "I will play along- "

-The men cheered with one another in celebration-

"-but it sounds like one of you is going to have a very unpleasant car ride ahead of you afterward. Maybe it will teach one of you a lesson about humility." She said, trying to regain some ounce of control in the shifting power dynamics of their trio.

With another determined glance at each other, Cade and Maverick shrugged and smiled before moving away from the car. Never had Scarlette seen the two of them work in unison, the way they had just made some silent pack in a matter of mere minutes

There were so many things that could go wrong on this trip, she reflected while the two continued their stretches. Perfectly positioning their asses in her view as they bent, lunged, and jogged in place.

Honestly, it had been a rough start for the trio. But these stolen moments had seized her heart in favor of them. The walls she had built, brick-by-brick, through painstaking nights of terror and despair, had crumbled ever-so-slightly as the two most unsuspecting beings wormed their way into her life.

Maybe just one night wouldn't be so bad to let go- she thought to herself.

As if sensing the shift in Scarlett, Maverick turned to her and said, "Don't get lost in those thoughts, Red. I'm going to be back in a few seconds, and I'll need your complete focus so we can show this pup what humility looks like."

A quirked smile of disbelief formed on her lips at his sheer audacity.

Not to be outdone, Cade walked back towards Scarlett while saying to Maverick. "Let's go, old bone fangs. The only thing better than putting you in your place is claiming my prize."

In a swift swoop, Cade's hands caressed the sides of Scarlett's face as he leaned in for the kiss. It was intense, full of promises, but brief, as Maverick used his vampiric speed to peel Cade from her.

"Count us down, Red?" Maverick interrupted as he took his shirt off. "It's time to take the pup for a walk".

Laughing, she nodded in agreement and watched the two shove each other before settling at the start line, they had determined earlier.

"3...2...1... GO!"

The two took off at breakneck speed around the barn.

Had there been any human present, they would have just seen two blurry forms and a trail of dirt footprints out of the earth. Thankfully for Scarlett, her magick aided her senses, allowing her to see the way their feet dipped into the earth and kicked up those clumps of dirt and grass. The way Maverick seemed to hold himself with some restraint, while Cade poured everything he had to stay dead-even with Maverick.

As they continued around the dilapidated barn, flashes of them peeked through the barn's missing walls and windows. Scarlett wondered how Maverick would play this. Cleary, he had more speed and power, but would he let Cade win? Or would he wait until the last moment and steal the win from underneath Cade? The latter seemed more like Maverick, as he had a streak for playing with his food.

Barreling straight towards her, she held her breath once more. One thing was certain: regardless of who won, the idea of their trio becoming something more excited her.

THUMP!

So lost in her own thoughts, she missed the last leg of the race.

"Beat you!" Cade shouts.

"In what world were you first?" Maverick argued.

Both men leered overtop of Scarlett's seated form, still in the back seat of the car. Their bodies coiled with tension and adrenaline, eagerness pouring from them in waves of desire.

With a quick touch of her face, Maverick asked, "Red, who hit the car first?"

"I think it was a tie boys." Maeve said while she admired their bodies.

When did Cade take off his shirt?- she thought.

"-what do you mean-"

"-Red, be honest-"

They protested in unison, seemingly distraught at the idea of a tie. However, Maverick's words didn't match the energy he projected. In fact, he held himself like a cat who had just caught the mouse. The ruby glow that brightened his eyes, paired with the deepening fang-mouthed-grin, made Scarlett think they were all just part of his game, and this was exactly how he wanted it to go.

"-Listen!" she interpreted them and placed a hand on each of their stomachs. "I am the prize therefor I am the judge and have final say. And I say it was a tie." She tossed them both a stern look from her still seated position, daring them to argue.

Not waiting to see if they would call her on it, she continued, "You can either say you both won or you can say you both lost, meaning no prize. The decision is up to you boys."

Cade leaned over, grabbing her arm and tugged her close.

Next to her ear, he whispered darkly, "How about you start by calling us men, Kitten?"

Scarlett's throat immediately parched, as her gaze landed on Maverick wild grin. Eyes sparked with mischief, fangs elongated into his lower lip. He looked every bit of the terrifying monster they whispered on breeze-less nights, for fear the wind would carry their voice and bring him straight to them.

Not one to back down, Scarlett wiggled her right arm, still in Cade's grasp, and maneuvered her hand out to the sizeable bulge strained against his pants. The quick inhale and tightened hold on her arm gave Scarlett all the intel she needed.

"Mmm careful, Kitten. Your claws are showing." Cade's voice rumbled through his chest.

"As if you doubted me?" She inquired.

"No, Red. We've seen what you can do with those hands." Maverick's voice held a twinge of respect in it. Whether for her magical abilities, of which he had been on the receiving end of, or for the way she held Cade's stiffened cock in his pants, she wasn't sure.

There wasn't time to ponder it either, before Cade's arms swooped down to grab her out of the car and into the grass meadow. Underneath the almost full moon, Scarlett basked in the caress of the moon's light, straddling Cade's lap.

"Well, what now, cowboy?' Scarlett's amusement flowed through her voice as she stared down at Cade. "Are we going to go for a ride?"

His eye transitioned from their normal hazel color into molten amber, letting her know just how close his wolf had come to the surface. If she blinked, she would have missed the way his face grew sharper, his jaw line more pronounced, the way his muscles beneath her bulked and flexed as they expanded. She had been with wolves before, but always as humans. Never had she been with a werewolf who could maintain their composure and control to ride the edge of a hybrid state.

With a feral grin, Cade pulled her from his lap to his head, "What a wonderful idea, Kitten. You can ride my face."

"But first, Red, we are going to need to unwrap our prize," Maverick said next to her ear, causing her to jump in surprise.

With quick movements, Maverick lifted her off Cade's chest and helped strip her out of her clothing until nothing separated her skin from the cool night breeze. Her nipples perked as the chilled air gently lapped around her body.

Maverick's hungered gaze made Scarlett feel like the most desired creature on the planet. The sensations he invoked within her were intoxicating and if she weren't careful, lethal to her sense of sanity.

"Holy fuck Kitten. Get that perky ass over here and start riding my face." Cade demanded in playful but firm tone from the ground. He remained in his spot, but his eyes glowed brightly in the night, mirroring Maverick's intensity and hunger, and his mouth curved slightly.

The desire to toy with them just a few moments longer crossed her mind, as she stood just out of reach of them. Not that it would stop either of them if they truly wanted to capture her, but the idea of being so desired filled her with a familiar sense of power.

"Now, Red, we know you need control. But maybe for tonight, you could trust us to care for you? When was the last time you really let go?" Maverick challenged.

It was the question of the evening. When would she let go?

If only it were that simple-

Movement jarred her from thoughts, as Cade grabbed her by the hips her towards him again. Maverick stepping behind her, but not so close as to crowd her.

Placing a gentle kiss on the side of her hip, Cade monitored her reactions closely. "Kitten, we just want you to feel good. You can stop us at any time, just tell us the word and you have our promise that everything will stop."

"But what if I don't want it all to stop?" her voice quivered.

Cade's hands stopped touching her body, giving her a sense of more clarity as she waited for his response.

Leaning back on his forearms in the grass, Cade smiled. "Then we don't have to stop everything completely."

"We will, however, stop in that moment," Maverick explained from behind her. "You can change your mind at any point as we go along and decide if you want to continue or not."

Scarlett felt no deception in their words, the way she had realized too late with past sexual partners. Taking several steps forward, she watched Cade's expression turn hungrier as she kneeled to sit on him. Her hot bare core directly touched his broad naked chest, struggling for just a moment to straddle him properly through his hybrid bulk of muscles, until his hands gripped her thighs, steading her on top of him.

Growls vibrated up through his chest, stimulating little bolts of pleasure against her slit, increasing the amount of slippery arousal leaking from within her as she squirmed in response.

"Kitten...." The nickname sounded more needy than anything, as it left Cade's clenched jaw.

Leaning forward, so her breasts swung in his face, "Yes..?" she replied, in a semi-mocking tone.

The indecision from before was gone. She was riding the highs of her newfound self-freedom, which included releasing the vice grip of fear that had been holding her back from letting others get close. Tonight, she planned to take everyone right off the edge of the abyss with her.

To hell with the consequences.