Women had dug a few deep pockets in the side walls of the mountains. Inside these pockets would be a small complex of twenty or thirty rooms with their own set of Lacquered pots and a large communal fire pit. I thought of them Like small villages. The men that Lived that way tended to be similar in demeanor and very close to one another. It impressed me that men like that had invited our families to join them. It was essentially Like opening their home to someone.

I felt Damien and his Brothers as we walked. They were talking to the Mund and his friends. My men had never experienced the absolute openness that these men allowed.

Tyle and his Brothers, as well as, Arnold's family had just come to stay in this place, too. They were glad to be re-accepted into the camp. It turned out both families had not enjoyed being ostracized, but they'd done it out of loyalty. Damien was thrilled they were no longer cursed by his presence.

As the men sat around the Large communal fire pit and talked, Damien was shocked. Men from the camp didn't guard their family's secrets around other families. Mund's Brothers feared the scars and freely admitted it. The idea of suffocating terrified all of Mund's family. As Damien and his Brothers sat and conversed they experienced a closeness they'd never shared with other men before.

We turned into the area and many men were sitting around a Large smokeless pit. I saw Damien's family and didn't more than notice the rest of them. My feet carried me to my family and I was in their arms before I knew it.

It did not matter we were in the middle of perhaps twenty curious families. I kissed each member of my family and hugged them tightly. It had been much too Long since we had been together.

“What is that the women are doing with the mouth?" I heard Mund ask.

“Why do they grab the men that way?"

Tyle happily informed him what akissand ahugwere. Mund‘s family found the activity interesting, they had not seen it before.

I couldn't keep my hands off my family. My family couldn’t stop touching me either.

“Do you have a bed here?" popped boldly out of my mouth and I saw Bane's face split with a broad grin.

“Are you tired, Little Sister?" he asked wickedly and I punched him in the shoulder.

“I am tired of waiting,husband," I stated, knowing they would have access to the meaning of that word.

The wordhusbandslid quickly through my five men and they liked it. We were mated andhusbandwas a word I associated with mated. They were happy to use the term.

Kein grabbed a hand and tugged me toward one of the openings around us. I noted their symbol was carved just outside the doorway. I felt their joy at seeing it there.

My family had Lived for many moons on the outskirts of this camp. They never stayed anywhere Long, because no one wanted them around. Having a stable home that was theirs would be such a blessing. They were grateful to Mund and his friends for the Lodging and acceptance.

“I didn't know," I said stopping just inside the doorway. "You never said you all were living like that."

I felt horrible. While I had been comfortable and cared for, my men had been tormented day and night.

"Do not pity us," Evan said gruffly, pushing me farther into the large room as he entered.

“What we did was wrong and we were punished for it. We have come to understand the indignity you suffered for many, many moons at our hands. My Brothers and I suffered far less. We had our family."

“And our freedom," Kein said tugging me close to his chest and pulling my lips to his.

Our tongues met in a fierce tangle and I felt devoured. I accepted the voracious kisses from each of them. The excitement was overwhelming.