Every Sunset Forever by R. E. Butler

They all had green eyes, but they were different shades.  Nyte’s were dark like emeralds, Fade’s pale like jade, and Azrael’s bright like spring grass and flecked with gold.
    “Why are there three males to one female?”
    “Hmm?” Azrael asked as his brothers came closer, stalking towards her slowly as if she were a deer and might bolt.
    “Other weres don’t multiple mate, but hyenas always do.  Why?”
    There was silence for a moment, and then Nyte said, “I suppose it comes from a time when our people were in danger and safety-in-numbers was the norm.  A male of worth wouldn’t want to leave his mate alone while he hunted.  Having multiple mates means that the family is always protected by at least one male at all times.  Three males that serve different functions — leader, caretaker, protector — come together to protect their mate and cubs.”
    Fade’s voice was low when he spoke.  “Are you afraid of us?”
    “No, of course not.  I was just curious.”
    “We can talk more in the morning,” Azrael said, lifting the blankets and pulling them back.  She climbed onto the firm mattress and turned around on her knees.
    “Will you stay with me?  Here, on the bed?” she asked, praying they wouldn’t turn her down.  She wasn’t sure why, but sleeping in the same room with them and not actually in the same bed seemed downright wrong.
    “Just for sleeping,” Nyte said as his brothers stripped from their shirts and kicked off their shoes.
    “Just for sleeping,” she promised, smiling.
    Nyte walked across the room to the front door, and she heard the lock click as he slid the deadbolt into place.  He flipped off the light, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the muted moonlight through the windows.  The bed tilted slightly as all three men climbed onto it.
    “How do we choose who sleeps where?” she asked as they moved closer to her.
    “Whatever order you want,” Fade said in a tone that told her he was smiling.
    “First you need to kiss me goodnight, and then you guys can, I don’t know, flip a coin?”
    Azrael snorted and said something to Nyte that he laughed at, but she didn’t hear what it was because Fade pulled her close, with his arm around her back.  Her blood roared in her ears as his mouth descended on hers with the gentlest of kisses.  She melted against him like butter on a hot skillet.  He groaned when their lips parted and their tongues touched for the softest of strokes before he made a soft, purring sound and lifted from her lips.
    “You’re poison, sweetness,” he growled, stroking his thumb across her lower lip.  “The very best kind.”
    She smiled at him and squeezed his hand before turning to face Nyte.  “Goodnight, Whisper,” Nyte said, folding her into his embrace and pressing his lips to hers.  She wasn’t sure it was possible, but she felt like she could come from their kisses alone, her body strung tightly as he stroked his tongue against hers and then let her go into Azrael’s arms.
    He kissed her eagerly but sweetly, his fingers finding the space between her shirt and shorts and rubbing against her skin.  She shivered as she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close.  His skin was warm, and he smelled amazing, all warm and sweet and…male.
    The kiss ended and she saw stars, her stomach flipping pleasantly as tingles raced up and down her spine.
    Looking down, she saw that they had arranged themselves on the bed, leaving a space for her between Nyte and Fade.  Az smiled at her as he settled on Fade’s other side and said, “I kissed you longer.  I bet I get to hold you tomorrow, though.”
    She didn’t want to think about how tough it would be to juggle three mates, but for now, as she slipped under the covers, she didn’t really care.  As if they had been doing it for years, she rolled towards Fade and settled her head on his chest.  Nyte scooted closer until she felt him against her back,