Hi guys, Sheri here! For those who may be new, I am Amber’s assistant. I wanted to pop in and see how everyone is liking our fun May Moon Pack Madness!
So for the chance at a $5 Amazon gift card, let me know how you are liking our month of May so far, and as a bonus, if you could pick a couple to have a Moon Pack short about, who would you pick?
Let’s have another fun and quick contest! It’s another surprise prize!
If a physical item it’s open international so definitely everyone enter!
To enter, let us know what, if any, summer plans you might have.
Unaware he has werewolf DNA, Gabriel is stunned to learn after an attack that he now has the ability to change into a wolf. Still reeling from the discovery of his family genetics he is surprised when his wolf self tried to claim a pair of twin fae.
Vien and Viell had come to help Anthony discover more about the mutant threat. When they discover a wolf shifter who claims to want them both they are shocked to realize they might have been looking in the wrong place their entire lives.
Note: There is no sexual contact between the twins.
“Marry me.”
“Hell no!” Gabe looked horrified at his best friend Faith Jerrod. She was sitting on his kitchen counter eating ice cream out of a coffee cup because, as usual, all his bowls were dirty. She had swept her dark hair up in a ponytail, and her brown eyes danced with humor.
“Aw, come on, Gabe, you’re the perfect guy. You cook, you clean, and you even pick up your own underwear.” She counted off his good qualities on her fingers.
“I fuck guys,” Gabe reminded her.
Faith shrugged as if the matter were inconsequential. “So you have one minor flaw.”
Gabe laughed as he scraped the last of the ice cream out of the carton and dumped it into a cup for himself. “It might put a damper on your sex life.”
After tossing the container, he took a bite of chocolate fudge chunky ice cream. He closed his eyes with bliss as the creamy flavor filled his mouth. Faith’s voice broke into his momentary obsession of chasing the little brownie bits around with his tongue.
“Not with the guys I’ve been dating lately, and seriously, are all the architects at our firm gay or what?” Faith asked.
“That would be a statistical improbability. Besides, it would be discriminatory to hire someone based on sexual preference, whether they are gay or straight,” Gabe pointed out.
“Yeah, but if they never ask, they can’t be prosecuted,” Faith counted, jabbed her spoon at Gabe to emphasize her point.
Gabe did a quick mental review of all the architects in the firm. “Now that you mention it, I do think a majority of them are gay, but you know, I’ve never had a very good sense about those things. A guy practically has to write he’s interested in glowing letters on his ass before I know he wants to date.”
“True,” Faith giggled. “Very true. Remember Nicky? He sent you flowers for a week in order to get your attention.”
“Yeah, he was really romantic,” Gabe sighed. “But bad in bed. No chemistry whatsoever.”
“What about Anthony?”
“The boss?” Gabe shuddered. “I think his boyfriend is the local godfather or something, he always has those big thugs following him around. Besides Anthony makes me nervous, there’s something seriously off about that guy.”
Gabe suspected Anthony was a shape shifter, or wizard, or something otherkin. His grandmother told him all about the otherworldly when he was a child, with bedtime stories of fantastic faery tales. She especially loved the werekin. As he got older, he’d seen enough strange things in his life to know truth lived in his grandmother’s tales.
“I think he’s sweet,” Faith said loyally. “Whenever I ask for time off, he always approves it, and last year when my mother needed surgery, he paid the hospital bills.”
“I didn’t say he wasn’t a good boss. I said he’s scary. He has freaky eyes, and have you met the new consultant? What kind of guy works only at night? Skin disease, my ass, he just likes to sleep in. We work for a weird bunch, Faith. One day, we’re going to hear on the news that they’re all space aliens or something.” Or worse. Gabe didn’t want to tell Faith he thought the consultant was a vampire. She’d have him committed or something.
Faith giggled. “I think you’re just mad because we’re in an office of hot guys and none of them will give either of us the time of day.”
He reluctantly smiled. “Maybe. But you know who I think is the hottest?”
“Who?” Faith leaned forward, intent on Gabe’s answer.
“I saw this guy visiting Anthony once, his name was Dare. God, I’d love to lick those muscles.”
“What happened?”
Gabe shrugged. “Nothing. I smiled at him. He patted me on the back like I was his new best friend, then the guy with him, who I guess was his boyfriend, looked at me like he wanted to rip off my head and beat me with it. Why are the best ones always taken by assholes?”
“Maybe he’s just protective,” Faith replied.
Gabe remembered the adoring look Dare’s boyfriend had given the friendly man. “Maybe, but I’d like a man like that.”
“Like what?”
“Fine looking and friendly who’s always happy to see me. That’s not too much to ask is it?” Gabe asked.
Faith made a soft scoffing noise. “You could get a puppy with those requirements. Don’t you want someone who’s a tiger in bed?”
“If he’s gorgeous, he’ll be good in bed,” Gabe countered.
“How do you figure?”
“Practice. Anyone that good looking has got to have had a lot of practice.”
Faith clacked her spoon against his.
“Touché.”
* * * *
The play was good and the dinner after, fabulous.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a steak that perfect,” Gabe smiled at Faith, enjoying an evening out with his friend.
“Me either. It’s been a nice night. Thanks for inviting me,” Faith nudged Gabe’s shoulder with a friendly bump.
“It was the least I could do for your birthday since you’re getting so old,” Gabe teased, admiring her glowing complexion and shiny hair.
“Yes, it was, the very least,” Faith smacked him on the arm.
“Wanna go get a drink?” Gabe tilted his head toward the bar they were passing.
Faith shook her head. “I’m bushed, and I’ve got to get my presentation ready for tomorrow.” She worked for the landscape architecture division of their firm and spent a good deal of her time persuading customers to purchase native friendly plants.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
She got into her car, and Gabe waited until she safely drove away. It would just kill him if he left Faith to walk to her car alone and something happened to her, though what he could do against a mugger or rapist, he didn’t know. He wasn’t exactly butch, and he doubted they’d be impressed with his ability to draw architectural plans freehand.
Thinking on his tasks for the following day, Gabe headed toward his own car, not paying attention to his surroundings until shadows separated from the others and spoke.
“Hello, little half-breed.”
Gabe froze as two creatures walked toward him, looking like something out of a nightmare. A cross between a man and a beast, they moved with a strange hitching gait and had muzzles where human faces should be. They were like a childhood nightmare monster come to life.
What in the hell are those, and why did they call him half-breed?
Fear clutched his heart as the monsters came closer. “What are you?” Gabe stepped slowly back as the beast-men approached.
Was he dreaming? Had he fallen asleep over dinner? Would he wake up any moment to Faith’s teasing? Shit, he hoped he was dreaming because the alternative horrified him.
“We are what you’re going to be on the next full moon,” snarled the creature on the left. “Once you’re changed, you’ll be like us forever.” Without warning, the man-beast leapt at Gabe, slamming him into the concrete. Dazed from his fall, Gabe couldn’t fight the creature pinning him to the ground. He screamed as the beast bit through his skin, piercing his shoulder with razor sharp teeth.
“Go ahead. Scream,” the other monster snarled. “It excites him. If you’re lucky, he’ll fuck you before we go.”
Cold, hard terror froze Gabe inside out. He wouldn’t survive this night. Whatever these monsters were, they weren’t anything mentioned in his grandmother’s stories.
“Hey,” a male voice shouted in the distance.
Ping. Ping.
Bullets ricocheted off the building beside Gabe. If the creatures didn’t kill him, the bullets would. As the beast took another chunk out of his shoulder, darkness clouded Gabe’s vision, pulling him into sweet oblivion.
* * * *
The sound of hushed voices yanked him back to consciousness.
Blinking to clear his vision, Gabe tried to figure out where he was. The surface beneath him was soft with a hint of cleaner-filled air. Cleaner, bleach, and at least three different people were in the room. He could even smell the laundry detergent on the sheets.
The combined stench threatened to make him hurl.
“Relax and take a slow breath in and out of your mouth,” a deep, soothing voice spoke beside him. “Then concentrate on just one scent and let the others go.”
Deciding to take the good advice, Gabe kept his eyes closed as he tried to focus on just one smell. The hint of rich soil and cool forest filled his nose. That one. Nothing had ever smelled so good before.
“That’s it. Now open your eyes,” the voice continued.
Gabe opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.
Shit.
Instinct had him sliding away from the large man towering over him. Recognition prevented him from falling off the bed completely.
“You’re Anthony’s…” He stopped there, because he wasn’t really certain of their relationship: boyfriend, husband, owner? Silver watched Anthony as if he wanted to possess him or if given half the chance, brand ‘property of Silver’ on Anthony’s ass. Had anyone ever looked at Gabe with such need? He didn’t think so.
“Mate. The word you’re looking for is mate. My name’s Silver, I’m the alpha of the Moon pack. My men found you and brought you here after you were bitten.” Silver loomed over the bed, but he didn’t glare or do anything threatening. In fact, Gabe could almost feel the vibes of goodwill and protection oozing from the other man. A weird part of Gabe wanted to get closer, to please the other man with his behavior.
“Alpha of what?” he asked, avoiding a discussion about the attack. Hoping against hope if he didn’t think about the monsters, he could push the entire thing off as a really bad dream.
“Werekin,” Silver said, his silvery gray eyes glinting in the dim light.
Werekin!
The word echoed in his mind as he watched the big man with new eyes. Why would a shifter kidnap him? Did Anthony send his mate because Gabe was an employee? His boss had a reputation for taking care of his own, but this was over the top. Oddly enough, Gabe didn’t feel threatened by the self-proclaimed alpha. The man smelled too good to be terrifying. Taking another tentative sniff, Gabe realized the wonderful aroma didn’t come from the man towering above him. Instead, it surrounded Silver like he’d brushed against something amazing and rubbed it into his skin.
Glancing around, Gabe noticed he wasn’t in a hospital like he first thought. He was lying in a guest room. One generally not used if the lack of decoration, the odor of recent cleaning, and the sterile feel meant anything. Two buff men of the bodyguard persuasion stood against the back wall. Gabe vaguely remembered seeing them follow his boss around from time to time.
He wanted to ask if they didn’t have something better to do than stand and stare at him, but the door swung open, saving him from the rude words aching to leap from his mouth. Gabe couldn’t help it, when he was uncomfortable the smart ass came out.
“They were out of blueberry muffins,” Anthony declared.
Gabriel sat up straight as his boss walked in, carrying a pastry box and smelling like everything good and right in the world. Anthony spent a few moments handing out pastries before turning to face Gabe.
Shit. I’m screwed.
“Hey, you’re awake,” Anthony said in a delighted tone.
Gabe gave a soft gasp, his boss’ brilliant smile making his heart patter faster in his chest.
“Hello, sir. Could you tell me why I’m here and not in a hospital?” Gabe’s mind might be fuzzy, but he remembered the pain of sharp teeth breaking through his skin.
As the blond walked closer, the amazing smell became stronger, richer. Gabe held back the low growl building in his throat. A part of him wanted to roll around in Anthony’s essence and embed it on his skin.
Growl?
Why did he feel the urge to growl?
“I know you’re probably not going to believe this, but you were bitten by a mutant werewolf. As far as we can tell, you already had werekin DNA, and if some of my men on patrol hadn’t come along, you’d be a mutant like the ones who bit you,” Silver said calmly, as if it were an every day occasion. Hell, maybe for them it was.
Vague memories of the night before drifted into Gabe’s mind like foul smoke.
“No, oh no.” The grotesque forms, the mocking voices. He snatched at the scraps of memory as they flashed through his brain, honing in on one main point. “They called me a half-breed.”
Silver looked at him intently. “Are one of your parents werekin?”
“No! I mean I don’t think so. My father died before I was born.”
Shit. His father!
“Ah.” A knowing look crossed Silver’s face. “Then he’s probably the one, if your mother showed no signs of changing.”
“She’s a crazy bitch, but I’ve never seen her turn into an actual bitch,” Gabe quipped.
His paternal grandmother told him of the otherkin. He’d bet good money if any freaky DNA existed in his lineage, it came from his father’s side of the family. He didn’t talk to his mother any more, not after she’d said he was an abomination for liking men. If she’d known about his shifter blood, it was a miracle she hadn’t killed him at birth. He couldn’t think of a group his mother didn’t find some reason to hate.
“Hmm. What should we do with you?” Silver tilted his head as if trying to solve a complex problem.
Panic hit Gabe hard and fast. “What do you mean?”
Anthony laughed, and the sound warmed Gabe inside and out like melted sunshine against his skin. “Silver means that even though I was able to reverse the mutation part of your DNA, I couldn’t completely remove the trigger. You’re still going to turn into a wolf at the next full moon. You just won’t be a mutant. Until you have your first shift, you might experience a lot of… um…” Anthony looked to his mate for help.
Seeing them together, Gabe could almost feel the bond strumming between them. They were like a matched pair, each one completing the other.
Silver smiled at his mate. “What my love is trying so delicately to tell you is you’re going to go through some hormonal changes. Most of us go through these in our early adolescence and have learned to cope with the effect of the moon on our bodies. A full grown adult going through the same thing is going to have a lot more problems.”
“Great. So now I’m going to have to learn to control my furry self?” Gabe asked.
“You’re taking the whole ‘werewolves are real’ thing surprisingly well,” Silver observed, staring at him with those unnerving metallic eyes as if Silver could see to the depths of Gabe’s soul and make him confess every sin.
“That’s because I always thought you guys were real. I just never encountered a shifter before.” Gabe blushed. “Well, that I know of. I certainly never thought I was one.”
His lifelong obsession with wolves now made perfect sense. He was definitely going to have to have a long talk with his mother soon, on the phone and away from flying objects. Looking at the men surrounding his bed, he wondered how many other ways his life would change.
“We’re going to go and let you get some rest,” Anthony said, giving him a tentative smile. “You’re out of the woods in terms of health until the next full moon, then Silver can help you with your change. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can go over how we need to adjust your schedule in the future. The two days before and after a full moon can sometimes be rough.”
“Thanks.” Gabe felt bad for his words about his boss the other day. Anthony was a decent guy; not to mention, he smelled divine.
Anthony flashed him a shy smile. “My mother is part forest witch, that’s why I smell so good.” With a reassuring pat on Gabe’s arm, his boss left the room.
Relief swept through Gabe. He’d worried his reaction to Anthony was personal. With all his other adjustments, he definitely didn’t need the added hassle of an unwanted attraction to his boss.
“He smells good to everyone.” Silver smirked before turning and following his mate out the door. The silent bodyguards went with him, leaving Gabe alone for the first time since he’d awakened.
Gabe fidgeted with the covers, unsure of his next move. Rest? How could he rest when his entire life had changed? Would his personality be different now? Would he turn into someone he couldn’t recognize?
“Hello.”
Gabe pulled out of his thoughts and turned his attention to the voice. The most beautiful pair of hazel eyes he’d ever seen met his gaze. A beauty only enhanced when another set of hazel eyes peeked around the first man’s shoulder.
Twins. Identical twins.
Tall, slim, and insanely gorgeous, the pair walked into the room with the same sinuous grace as Anthony. He wondered if they were shifters. They definitely weren’t part of his boss’ staff. Last he checked, architects didn’t carry knives or wear leather boots laced up to their knees. The slightly pointed ears and high cheekbones had him curious.
“What are you?” Gabe asked.
The first one through the door met Gabe’s curious look with an admiring one of his own. “We are fae. Have you seen Anthony or Silver? We were told they were down here,” Vien asked.
Gabe swallowed to get moisture back into his suddenly dry mouth. Damn, they were fine. Inhaling deeply, he growled as need rushed through his system, hardening his body. Saliva pooled in his mouth and hunger took over.
The pair came closer.
“Hey, are you all right?” the fae asked.
The man on the right walked forward, placing a hand on Gabe’s forehead.
Energy crackled through Gabe’s body like a live wire, as if the creature inside him sought to escape and claim the man as his own. Unable to resist his inner beast, Gabe reached up, grabbed the dark-haired fae and flipped him so he lay beneath Gabe on the bed. The blankets fell away with his movements. A cool breeze drifted across Gabe’s newly heated skin, pimpling his flesh. The only warmth in the chilly room came from the man pinned beneath him.
Gabe couldn’t stop the low growl pouring from him. If Anthony smelled like a delicious forest, this man smelled like heat, need, passion and… his.
“Mine.” Digging his nose into the stranger’s neck, Gabe inhaled the scent of fae. He wanted to roll himself across the lean, muscular body and wallow in the stranger’s essence. The urge was so much stronger than his yearning for Anthony minutes before.
“Um, Vien, help,” the man beneath him begged in a soft voice.
“No help. You’re fine right where you are,” Gabe soothed. He wanted to savor the man, not scare him. He slid his nose up the side of the fae’s neck, rubbing his cheek in the delicious smell, marking him as belonging to Gabe.
“You need to get off him,” Vien said.
“No.” What a stupid suggestion. The pretty, pretty fae belonged beneath Gabe.
“You can’t just keep my brother,” Vien explained in a patient tone.
“Yes, I can.” With a growl, Gabe plastered a kiss on the man’s sexy lips, moaning and licking, silently asking for entrance. The fae opened his mouth, granting Gabe what he sought. He wasted no time in plundering the mouth beneath him until he had to lift his head to get oxygen into his body.
Gabe admired the excited flush on the sleek man’s face. Sliding his hand between them, he got a good feel of the size and shape of the gorgeous twin. There definitely wouldn’t be any disappointment once he stripped the man naked.
“Oh, by the gods, he can keep me. Anything he wants,” the fae moaned.
Gabe smiled and dove in for another kiss. Their tongues and lips met, sliding against each other as they savored the taste of passion. Breaking the embrace, Gabe came up for air to suck in some much needed oxygen.
“What’s your name?” Gabe asked. He let his mouth trail down the beautiful man’s throat, nipping and kissing along the way.
“I am Viell. That is my brother, Vien.”
“Nice to meet you.” Gabe didn’t turn away from the important task of unbuttoning the wonderfully buttoned-up man beneath him. “I’m Gabriel.”
“Viell, you can’t stop for sex, we’re on a mission.” Vien folded his arms and tapped his foot on the floor.
“Come back later. I promise to return him.” Gabe didn’t actually plan to, but if it got the other man to go away, he’d promise anything. “I’m not even going to damage him much, barely scratch and dent.”
“That’s enough!” Vien grabbed Gabe by his shaggy hair.
Fighting instincts roaring to the surface, Gabe leaped off the bed, slamming Vien to the floor with his body. No one interrupted his mating! In Gabe’s fury, fangs ripped through his gums.
“Ow!” Gabe released the fae, touching his sensitive mouth with the tips of his fingers. Dots of blood coated his fingertips. His mouth burned like a dozen daggers were shoved through his gums. Blinking back tears, Gabe curled up in a ball on the carpet, cradling his mouth with his hands.
“Not much of a shifter, are you,” Vien taunted.
“See how much you like sharp things going through your gums,” Gabe growled. “It hurts.”
At least the throbbing pain made Gabe lose the urge to kill the other man. Now he knew what the alpha pair was talking about. Everything was brighter, more intense than previously. His need for Viell. His rage at the interruption. Overwhelmed, Gabe tucked his face against his knees, shaking.
“Are you all right?”
Viell came to sit beside him on the soft carpet. Gabe snuggled up close, seeking comfort.
“Aw, it’ll be okay. You’ll get used to your fangs, and soon you won’t even notice.” Viell’s hand felt good rubbing Gabe’s bare skin. The soothing gesture calmed Gabe’s nerves, taking the edge off his shock.
“Oh please, you can’t mate with this pussy, Viell. He can’t even handle a partial shift without whining.” The other fae climbed back to his feet and headed for the door.
Gabe looked at the fae for a moment while the beast inside egged him on. Brushing off Viell’s comforting touch, Gabe leapt across the room and took Vien down, his newfound strength easily overcame the fae. Except once he tackled the other man, another amazing scent filled his nose. Leaning down he sniffed Vien.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Vien protested.
“Shush,” Gabe said, sniffing the spot between neck and shoulder. Vien smelled different than his twin. Not better or worse but different. Did they taste the same? Gabe licked a spot.
“Hey, stop that.” An unexpected giggle came from the man beneath him.
“You smell good,” Gabe growled.
“Of course I do, you just smelled my brother. We’re twins,” Vien said.
Gabe shook his head. “Not the same.”
“We’re the same,” Vien insisted.
“No.” Gabe bit at the thick vein at the bottom of the fae’s throat. Vien’s body seized and a groan rolled up his chest. “Different.”
“Oh blast, that’s good!” Vien moaned.
“I thought you wanted to get going, brother,” Viell’s voice, hard and accusing, broke through the lusty fog filling Gabe’s mind.
Gabe’s head snapped over to Viell. Too many choices. His wolf wanted to take them both down like tasty lamb dinners.
“Mine!” The growl came out low and guttural. A surge of energy poured out of him, crackling the air. He felt something shift in him and his skin prickled. Tips of fur broke through the surface of Gabe’s skin then vanished again.
“Wow, freaky,” he whispered.
“What do we do now, brother?” Viell asked his pinned twin.
When Anthony despairs of becoming one of the pack he accepts his grandfather’s help in embracing his inner wolf. Silver doesn’t care that his mate isn’t a wolf however when Anthony comes back changed Silver wonders if their bonding can survive the transformation.
Farro longs to find someone to be his partner and help raise his young son. However when mutants attack his household he has to go into the land of the fae and help retrieve a kidnapped tiger shifter. In the fae world he meets Kylen, a sexy fae warrior, who follows Farro home and shows him what he’s been missing.
Chapter One
With the windows rolled down, Anthony sat in the back of the limousine drinking one hundred year old scotch. Only on full moons did he pull out the hard liquor, pouring himself shot after shot as he listened to the howl of the wolves outside. The mystical sound always brought tears to his eyes. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision. He couldn’t let them fall and leave tracks on his cheeks. Silver would know if Anthony was crying, and he didn’t want to upset his handsome mate. However, every full moon the truth slapped him in the face.
He could never be a true alpha mate.
As much as the pack welcomed him, he could never run or hunt as a wolf or experience the world with their eyes. His biological differences separated him from the werekin, separated him from his love. Any moment now, Silver would return with a wide smile and glowing eyes, and with the full moon magic racing through his veins like a potent drug, they would fuck like wild animals. Even with Silver’s unswerving devotion, a weight pressed down on Anthony’s heart during this time every month. His inner voice whispering, Silver will be better off without me.
Unfortunately, werewolves only mate once. If Anthony left him, Silver wouldn’t move on to find himself a nice wolfy companion. The harsh reality of werewolf mating was: without Anthony, Silver would either kill himself or turn so feral the pack would have to stalk and slaughter him. To prevent his lover from an untimely death, Anthony would sacrifice anything, even if it meant dying a little inside every full moon.
The divider between the driver and the passenger slid down, and Farro’s worried eyes examined Anthony in the rearview mirror.
Farro waved his hand toward Anthony’s half empty glass. “How long are you going to do this?”
“As many times as he asks me to come.” Anthony didn’t have it in him to deny his lover anything he could provide.
“Does he know it kills you to hear the wolves? To never truly be part of our world?” Farro asked.
Anthony shrugged. It didn’t matter. He would always be there for his lover despite his inability to shift. Some problems didn’t have fairy tale solutions.
“I support my mate,” Anthony answered.
Farro shot him a look bordering the fine line between pity and disgust. “You know if you weren’t true mates, he would be better off without you. You cripple him before the other wolf packs.”
Hearing the truth in Farro’s words sliced through Anthony like a fine blade. “But I am his true mate so he’ll just have to deal.” He took another swig of liquor, relishing the burn. “As will you.”
Farro rolled the divider back up without another word.
Anthony wished he could hate Farro, but really, the wolf shifter was only telling the truth. Silver looked weaker to the other packs because Anthony was a non-were mate. Only Silver’s superior strength as an alpha kept other wolves from trying to take over his territory. True, some of them had heard of Anthony’s magical abilities, but few believed them enough to be scared.
Anthony sighed and took another sip of alcohol, wondering once again why Silver insisted he come to these things. It only underlined the fact he couldn’t change. Hell, even Elliott and Ben could shift, and they were only half-blood wolves.
Once a month, Silver assigned one pack mate driver duty for Anthony, forcing the driver to shift later in the night and miss the pack run. He’d never asked before, but he wondered if any of the wolves minded driving him around. Setting down his drink, Anthony closed his eyes and waited for his lover to return.
In the driver’s seat, Farro rested his forehead on the steering wheel. Silver would kill him if he knew what Farro had said to Anthony. There was nothing for it; he would have to leave the pack. No way could he go every day and see Silver fawn over his little non-wolf.
Whenever he saw them together, jealousy painted a bitter stain across his soul, and he had no way to prevent it from spreading. Resentment was slowly turning him into someone he didn’t want to be. He loved Silver, and to see the man go from ignoring all overtures to whispering words of devotion into the little blond’s ear was too much to expect any wolf to stand for. Farro remembered with embarrassment his pitiful attempts at getting the alpha’s attention. Volunteering for jobs and memorizing Silver’s schedule so Farro would be in the right spot for casual conversation. Hell, he’d just geared himself up for throwing himself at Silver when Anthony showed up at the club and wrapped the alpha around his little finger in a single night.
Silver might not be his mate, but Farro always hoped he’d at least get the opportunity to be a favorite in the alpha’s bed. Now he would never have the chance, and a part of him resented Anthony for the missed opportunity. How a fucking non-wolf could be in charge of a wolf pack baffled him.
Yes, definitely time to move on before he did something he would always regret. He ran through his mind what to tell Silver. Maybe he’d leave a note. The thought of the handsome alpha looking at Farro with sympathy instead of love, or even worse, pity, was something he definitely wanted to avoid.
He nodded his head as he made his decision, “Yes, a note would be just fine.”
“Are you leaving?”
Silver turned to see Parker and Elliott standing behind him in the moonlight.
Nodding, he patted both men on their bare shoulders. “I’ve gotta get back to Anthony.”
He ignored their frowns. They got to spend time in their wolf forms running and hunting together beneath the evening sky. They couldn’t understand the ache in his heart, the longing caused by the separation from his mate during each full moon gathering.
Before Anthony, Silver would have stayed and danced under the moon with his pack. He would retell stories of the hunt and gnaw on the marrow of their kill, but now the other half of his soul sat in a limousine, drinking high quality hooch instead of running naked beneath the open sky. However, he wouldn’t trade his beloved demigod for all the wolves in the world, and if he felt the occasional pang that Anthony couldn’t join in the hunt, he buried the thought deeper than a grave, where it belonged. He paused a moment.
“You know how you feel the pull of the moon when you’re in your wolf forms?”
They nodded.
“Anthony’s pull is stronger. He’s my moon,” Silver tried to explain.
Anthony was his everything, but he didn’t want to get emotional in front of his men. As the alpha, he had a reputation to maintain.
The pair nodded, understanding flashing in their eyes. With a respectful head tilt, they went back toward bonfire to join the others.
If Silver felt a smidgen of melancholy, he crushed it beneath his need to see his lover.
The sound of music had Anthony opening his eyes in time to see a shimmer of stardust dance across the opposite seat.
He looked at his drink and wondered if maybe he’d had one shot too many.
“Good evening, Anthony,” a familiar voice said.
“Hello, grandfather.” The sparkles collided until they formed a shining white shape in the form of the god Zeus.
His deep voice echoed in the confines of the spacious limo. “Why is my favorite grandson drinking himself into a stupor on such a beautiful night like this?”
Anthony shrugged, ashamed to admit his petty grievances. With all the amazing things in his life, he didn’t want to be a whiny bitch.
“Does it have anything to do with your mate turning furry once a month and abandoning you?” Zeus asked.
“He doesn’t abandon me.” No one could cut you to the quick faster than family. “He’s the alpha. He has to run with his pack.”
Zeus took a glass and poured himself a drink. He swallowed then let out a sigh. “At least he left you the good booze.”
Anthony laughed.
“What would you give to be a wolf?” The god watched him with unnerving intensity.
“I can never be a wolf,” Anthony said bitterly. “You have to be born one.”
“Have you forgotten who I am?” Zeus’ voice rattled the limousine windows.
Anthony’s mouth went dry with fear. Sometimes he did forget his grandfather wasn’t just the friendly old man who used to float all the furniture in Anthony’s bedroom to make him laugh.
“No grandfather.”
“Then I’ll ask you again. What would you give up to be a wolf?”
Anthony almost answered ‘anything’. But over the years, he’d learned caution when dealing with gods. “What would you like?”
“You’ve learned well, my boy. That was a loaded question.” Zeus smiled at his grandson. “Hmmm. What do I want in order to give you such a gift?”
Anthony’s heart skipped a beat. A god didn’t wander in for a drink unless he wanted something, or at least his grandfather didn’t. Zeus already had something in mind before he showed up in the limo.
“It gets lonely around my home, grandson. It would be nice to have some company for a while.” Flashes of lightning lit Zeus’ eyes. Anthony knew his own eyes did the same thing when his emotions ran high. Being on the other side of the vision, he agreed with his mate, the lightning was unsettling.
“I don’t want to abandon my man, grandfather, but I know Silver yearns for me to be a true mate.” Anthony’s heart ached for the pain he caused his lover.
“I don’t think your wolf would change anything about you. It’s your own pride making you want this.”
Anthony sighed. The lateness of the hour and the level of alcohol in his system made him tired and sulky. “Fine. Did you decide what you want in exchange for my becoming a wolf?”
“Seven years of service,” Zeus declared.
Anthony sat up straighter and glared at his grandfather. “I can’t leave Silver for seven years!”
“Don’t be an idiot, Anthony. You know I can manipulate time. For each year in my palace, I’ll only take away one day here. You’ll be gone a week.”
Anthony bit his lip as he considered the offer. “And you’ll make it so I can change into a wolf?”
Zeus nodded. “If that is what you really want. You know in one incarnation, I was Zeus the wolf-god.”
Anthony nodded. His father made him study his grandfather’s different incarnations when he was younger. Some bull about knowing your past or something. Anthony always thought his father just wanted to keep him busy for a summer.
“What do I have to do for those seven years?”
“Concentrate on your abilities. There’s so much of my power deep inside you, and you piss it away to shove lightning bolts up people’s asses!”
Anthony laughed.
“You didn’t think I saw that did you?” Zeus asked, grinning.
“I didn’t think you bothered to watch me,” Anthony said. He knew his grandfather could peek in on him whenever he wished, but Anthony was only one of many of Zeus’ descendants.
“I watch you more often than you know, grandson. I know your deepest secrets and your greatest pains. I’m sorry I was unable to save Andrew from the underworld. I wasn’t watching out for you that day. I regret the pain his death has caused you, but you’ll be happy to know I checked on him recently and he’s doing quite well. He’s preparing himself for rebirth and was happy to hear you have found another.”
Anthony gave his Zeus a suspicious glance. “Thank you, grandfather. I appreciate you checking on him, but you still haven’t fully answered my question. What else will I do besides learn how to manipulate my powers?”
“Amuse me. I’m bored. Your father doesn’t visit often, and the other gods are insufferable bores,” Zeus complained.
Anthony laughed at the petulance in his grandfather’s voice. Silently, he thought over the pros and cons. Could he do it? Give himself over to his grandfather who was part loving patriarch and part intimidating god. He took another sip of liquor, enjoying the burn as it slid down his throat. Yes, he was willing to take the chance in order to be a proper mate to his lover.
“Let me leave Silver a note,” Anthony said.
“You’re really going to do this?”
His grandfather’s tone made Anthony look up. He thought he caught a flash of disappointment on the god’s face.
“Didn’t you want me to?”
Zeus produced a paper and pen with the wave of his hand. “Write your note, Anthony, and we’ll see what we can do to put you in touch with your wolfy self.”
Anthony picked up the pen and scrawled a note to his mate. Folding it carefully, he wrote Silver’s name on the outside and set it on the seat beside him.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shirt and faced his grandfather. “I’m ready.”
“You don’t want to tell him goodbye in person?” Zeus asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
“No. He would try to talk me out of it. It’s best to go before he returns.”
“Maybe that should tell you something,” Zeus replied.
Anthony snapped. “If you didn’t want me to do this, why bring up the offer?”
Zeus threw up his hands. “Because you’ve been miserable.”
“Exactly. Let’s go.”
Zeus teleported them out of the vehicle, a flash of light the only signal of their passing.
Silver stopped halfway to the limousine, falling to his knees.
Anthony was gone. He could feel his lover’s absence like a burning, empty spot in his soul. Tilting back his head, Silver howled for his mate.
When his boss orders Elliott Samuels to come the Moon pack bar little does he know Anthony’s plans include handing him off to Parker, the pack security officer. Parker takes one look at the slim accountant and knows he’s found the submissive mate of his dreams. Will the two be a love match or will outside forces tear them apart?
Chapter One
Elliott Samuels looked at the big metal door with the wolf-head knocker and balked. There was no sign on the outside or even darkened windows to indicate this was a nightclub, just a steel door. The lack of a line or roped-off area made him extremely nervous. He almost ran.
Almost.
However, Anthony had asked him to come. Ordered him, really. He couldn’t say no to Anthony. He didn’t know anyone who could. Something about the man made Elliott want to make Anthony happy, made him want to do whatever Anthony asked.
No matter how ridiculous.
Like wearing leather pants and a copper-colored mesh shirt. Hell, even the boots were an Anthony requirement. There was nothing so embarrassing as having your new boss take you shopping and then demand your attendance at a bar… club… whatever.
He wasn’t even sure it was legal for Anthony to do that. Of course, he wouldn’t be the one bringing it up.
He’d met the man’s mate.
Tentatively, he took the wolf knocker and banged it a few times.
Immediately, the door opened to reveal a tall, lean man with short black hair and massive shoulders. Cool grass-green eyes looked him up and down. “Yes?”
Nerves had Elliott shaking his head back and forth, more of a spasm than a voluntary movement. “Um, A-Anthony invited me.”
“Name?”
“Elliott Samuels.”
Those green eyes examined him intently. “Samuels?” He knew what the guy was implying, but he didn’t have a pack. He’d never had a pack.
“I’m half-wolf. No pack.” He wasn’t ashamed, no matter how piercing the bouncer’s gaze.
“Can you shift?”
Elliott didn’t know why it mattered, but he nodded. “Full independent change.”
Some half-wolves couldn’t. Couldn’t shift or involuntarily shifted under a full moon, their control not as refined as their full wolf counterparts, but not Elliott. His wolf was a quiet, submissive creature. It had to be coaxed out beneath the moon, but it could be coaxed.
“Excellent.” The man gave him a smile that could only be called… wolfish.
Elliott had the dizzying sensation he was the prey in this scenario, and he wasn’t entirely certain he disliked the idea.
The bouncer pulled a phone from the clip on his low riding black jeans. Elliott blinked at how low those jeans dipped. He discreetly turned his head so he wouldn’t be caught staring inappropriately.
“I need a replacement.” The bouncer’s voice, low and pleasant, slid through Elliott’s body like an aural aphrodisiac.
Damn, the bouncer flipped all of Elliott’s buttons and lit up the scoreboard. Elliott willed himself not to harden. The leather pants he’d squeezed his body into left nothing to the imagination. They might not ride as low as the hot bouncer’s jeans, but they were definitely a snug fit. If he became hard, his lack of underwear would be apparent to all. Damn Anthony. He’d convinced Elliott to do without his boxers, saying it would give him unattractive lines.
He might have to reconsider his current place of employment.
“Coming,” a scratchy female voice said over the speakerphone, pulling Elliott’s attention back to the bouncer instead of the condition of his cock.
The gorgeous wolf hung up and pinned Elliott with those stunning green eyes. “It will be just a moment.” He flashed a wicked smile. “Like what you see?”
Elliott swallowed nervously. He’d seen guys beat up for less. He hoped Anthony’s name would at least provide some protection.
“Sorry, I-I didn’t mean to stare.” He could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment, one of the problems with having pale skin. His mother always said he’d inherited his great-grandmother’s Irish complexion, but since the woman died before Elliott’s birth, he had to take her word for it. Elliott only had a few grainy photographs to support the theory.
The bouncer chuckled. “If I didn’t want people looking, I wouldn’t wear them so low. I’m Parker.” He held out one massive paw to Elliott, who cautiously took the hand offered. Elliott relaxed with relief when the larger man carefully shook with Elliott. Apparently, Parker wasn’t one of those men who felt manlier by crushing everyone’s hand to prove he was stronger.
“I’m here.” A pretty woman, who was even shorter than Elliott’s five-nine, walked up the stairs. She took one look at Elliott and gave a wide smile. “I’m Shara. Who are you?”
“This is Elliott,” Parker said, blocking Elliott with his larger frame before she could offer her hand. “Anthony invited him.”
“Hmm. And it takes a personal guard to escort him to Anthony?” Her eyes were brilliant blue, sparkling with mischief.
“Just give me fifteen minutes,” Parker growled before turning back to Elliott. “Come with me.”
Elliott resisted any possible smartass response that involved coming and the hot black-haired man leading the way with his tight, round ass. That didn’t stop him from looking, though.
* * * *
Parker glanced back at the pretty, auburn-haired wolf and bit back a growl. He searched his mind for the perfect present for Anthony. The man was going to get a big reward for bringing Parker his mate—unless he intended Elliott for someone else. Then they were going to have words.
Unpleasant ones.
Unfortunately, even if he could make himself attack Anthony, the man would fry his ass before he took the first lunge. Sometimes, there were disadvantages to having a non-wolf alpha mate, even if he was nice to look at.
Glancing back at the pretty, pretty man, he decided that sometimes there were even bigger advantages. Elliott was small by wolf standards, probably due to the half-wolf blood, but the man had beautiful reddish-brown hair, cut in finger-tantalizing layers, and clear blue eyes like the sky on a perfect summer day. The man’s sleek and compact body hinted at a six-pack beneath his extremely sexy fitted shirt.
Parker concentrated on going down the remaining stairs without falling on his ass. He wouldn’t make a very good impression if he stumbled down them while trying to entice the man with his sexiness.
He swiped his card at the bottom of the landing and opened the door.
“There’s a lot of security here,” Elliott remarked.
Parker shrugged. “It’s not only a club; it’s also our home. Well, for a lot of the pack. I have a house I inherited from my mother.”
“What about your father?”
“He died when I was young; my parents weren’t mates.” He didn’t want to go into the depressing details of his family, so he was relieved when they entered the main room of the club.
The pulse of the music hit them as they walked through the door. Parker scanned the room. He knew they’d find Anthony in the largest concentration of people. A massive crowd filled the second level, and he saw the dark head of his alpha, Silver, above the group.
“Come on.” Parker wrapped an arm around the smaller man to protect him from the jostling crowd.
“Parker, what have you got there?” Mikel, one of the local vampires, sauntered over and blocked their path. The predatory gleam in his eyes grew as he took in Elliott’s outfit and self-conscious demeanor.
Parker pulled the smaller wolf closer, baring his teeth at the vampire. “He’s a friend of Anthony’s. I’m taking him over to the alpha mate.”
Mikel gave a sly smile, flashing a bit of fang. “I know how busy you are. How about I take him over to Anthony so you can get back to work?”
A low growl rolled up Parker’s throat as his wolf sensed a possible contender for his mate. The bestial side of him wanted to tear out the vampire’s throat and remove any possible threat to his mating.
He was startled out of his ire by Elliott stroking his stomach, soothing him out of his fury. “I can see Anthony from here,” Elliott said. “I’m sure I can make it over there on my own.”
“Elliott.” Anthony’s voice cut through the crowd as the alpha mate spotted the redhead from across the room. Parker figured Anthony’s voice must be magically transmitted, because how else could they hear the man over the noise in the club?
Elliott waved to the alpha mate.
“See you later, Mikel,” Parker said, moving them away from the vampire with an arm around Elliott’s waist, not giving the smaller man the chance to say goodbye. The less the half-wolf talked to Mikel, the less chance of Parker starting an interspecies war.
* * * *
Elliott couldn’t help smiling at Anthony when his boss waved him over. Being hailed by Anthony was like being acknowledged by the most popular guy in school, an event he’d never experienced in real life. Being home-schooled by his overprotective mother had prepared him little for the real world—as a human or a wolf.
Following Parker, they headed in Anthony’s direction. There was a glow about the blond that always made Elliott happier to be near him. As Anthony’s accountant, he tried to keep his crush to himself—he knew he had no chances there—but it still gave him a flush of excitement whenever he saw Anthony.
Anthony stood when the pair approached. Leaning forward, he gave Elliott a hug. “I’m glad you could make it.”
He suppressed a shudder of excitement at the close contact with the blond, not missing the cold glare he received from the alpha over his boss’ shoulder.
Oblivious to his mate’s challenging look, Anthony released Elliott and beckoned the alpha closer.
“Silver, remember Elliott, the new accountant I hired?” Anthony asked.
Silver nodded but didn’t offer his hand. Elliott tipped his head slightly to one side to show respect, but not subservience, since he wasn’t technically a member of the Moon pack. He was Anthony’s employee. Rumor had it they had another guy who did the Pack books.
“Greetings, Alpha,” Elliott greeted Anthony’s mate.
Silver lost some of his glower, the customary greeting apparently easing his concern about another man standing so close to his mate. As if the rock gracing Anthony’s finger and the mating collar weren’t enough to mark the man as taken. Not to mention, Anthony didn’t look at anyone with even a fraction of the degree of adoration he bestowed on the huge, dark-haired werewolf. The beautiful man was smitten, and clearly, based on the alpha’s growly manner and lavish gifts, his feelings were returned. Silver might be all hard muscles and scary power, but the look in his eyes when he gazed at Elliott’s boss was enough to make even the sappiest romantic happy.
Anthony picked up his phone. It must’ve been on vibrate, because Elliott hadn’t heard it ring. A look at the display had his employer giving him a regretful look.
“I’ve got to get to Hotel Paradise. The manager just texted me. Apparently, there’s an issue involving a dryad and a wolf. I’m sorry to interrupt our plans.”
Elliott shrugged, trying to mask his disappointment. It wasn’t Anthony’s fault there was a problem at one of his hotels.
“That’s okay. Since I’m all dressed up, I’ll get myself a drink and hang around here for a while.” It wouldn’t hurt to get to know the local wolves. He would eventually have to join a pack if he wanted to mate with any of the werewolves in the area, and this bar was considered one of the best places to find a supernatural mate.
* * * *
“Parker, would you mind making sure Elliott has a good time?” Anthony smoothly made it sound as if the wolf would be doing him a favor when they both knew Parker was waiting for the chance to pounce.
“Of course. I’d be happy to.” If by a good time, Anthony meant tying the smaller man up and fucking him within an inch of his life.
Anthony smiled, as if he knew exactly what Parker was thinking. He didn’t say anything, but he gave Elliott a kiss on the cheek before turning to his mate. “Are you coming, sweet peach?”
Silver shook his head at the nickname. “Of course,” the alpha replied. He held out his arm like a gentleman in one of those old black and white movies Parker’s mother used to make him watch.
With a nod to everyone else, Anthony left the room escorted by the alpha like a debutante going to her first ball—if you overlooked the fact the debutante was in skintight leather pants and a transparent gauzy shirt.
“Do you think he’ll change before he gets there?” Elliott asked, smiling as he watched the pair leave.
Parker laughed. “I think his mate will tear his clothes off before he leaves the limo, and he’ll be forced to put others on. Don’t worry; they keep extra clothing in all the cars for Anthony. Silver’s not known for his patience.”
Elliott blushed adorably. Parker would like to see if the rest of Elliott’s skin marked as beautifully.
His phone beeped. “Parker, are you returning?” Shara’s voice carried through the line with an edge of irritation, reminding Parker that not everyone knew of the change of plans.
“Shara, I’ve been reassigned by the alpha mate. I’ll send someone to help you.” He turned off the phone before she could reply, fairly certain he didn’t want to hear her response.
Dillon, Ben, and Thomas walked by, the trio laughing as they traversed the busy dance floor.
“Hey, Dillon,” he called out.
Dillon scowled over at Parker. Obviously not a man who liked having his conversation with his lovers interrupted. “What?”
“I need someone to help Shara. Can you do it?”
Dillon looked at Ben, who shook his head no. “Sorry,” Dillon said without a trace of regret. “Boss says no. He made reservations and everything.”
Parker eyed the nice suits and smiles and knew he was beaten. He sent a mock glare to Ben. His friend shrugged and blew Parker a playful kiss. Thomas wrapped a possessive arm around the smaller man as the trio walked off.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he called after them.
Dillon gave Parker the finger behind Ben’s back, not bothering to turn around.
Parker laughed.
“Are they all together?” Elliott asked as the trio walked away.
“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?” Parker hoped the new wolf wasn’t uptight. It would ruin all of the plans he was making for him.
Elliott shrugged. “Only in that I’m-incredibly-jealous kind of way. I can’t even find one guy, and that wolf has two hot mates.”
Parker grinned. “Oh, I think you can find one.” He trailed a finger down Elliott’s neck, pleased when the smaller man shivered beneath his touch.
Dare walked past.
“Hey, kitty,” he called out.
Someone smacked Parker in the back of the head from behind.
“Ow.”
“Show some respect to my mate,” Steven growled.
Dare laughed as he walked back to the pair. He gave Elliott a curious glance but didn’t say anything.
“I’ve got about an hour left on my shift; could you cover for me? Anthony asked me to entertain Elliott here. I tried Dillon, but Ben won’t let him. You’re not working tonight, are you?” Parker asked.
“No, and he’s still not,” Steven said.
“Hey, sugar, settle down,” Dare said, running a soothing hand over his mate’s back. “I can spare an hour to help out a friend.”
A rush of relief eased Parker’s tense muscles. He didn’t want Elliott to slip through his fingers while he manned the door. If he didn’t know Steven would rip off his head, he’d give the tiger shifter a big hug.
Dare saw the phone in his hand. “Are you on door duty?”
“Yeah. Shara is down below, but when we work together, I put her behind the second door. That way she doesn’t have to deal with the creeps.”
“Sounds good.” Dare took the phone with a smile. “Besides, I like Shara. She smells good.”
Steven growled. “She better not smell that good.”
Laughing, Dare gave his mate a quick kiss on the lips. “Nah, I think it’s her perfume. Smells like vanilla. Always makes me want a big bag of cookies.”
Steven laughed.
“Wait for me at the bar, and I’ll make it worth your while,” Dare said, batting his eyelashes in an exaggerated flirt.
“I’ll make sure you do.” Steven stepped forward. Plunging his fingers into Dare’s hair, he yanked the tall tiger shifter into his arms. Before Dare could speak, Steven took Dare’s mouth in a kiss so primal Parker could almost see the pheromones spiking the air.
Damn. That was hot!
“Keep that up and we’ll have to sell tickets,” Parker said, shifting his stance to accommodate his growing problem.
“I’d buy one,” Elliott piped up. The little wolf’s eyes glazed over, and he licked his lips as if he were the one receiving the kiss.
The pair separated, Dare heading to the stair door and Steven to the bar.
“Which one has you all in a lather?” Parker asked, curious about what Elliott found arousing. Personally, he’d always wanted to stroke the big kitty.
“Both of them.” Elliott blushed. “I mean… them together. You could tell it wasn’t just lust. They really care for each other. The wolf? You called him Steven?”
Parker nodded.
“When he grabbed his mate, I could see his hold was gentle. If Dare wanted to escape, he could have. I could tell Dare let his lover control the kiss when he didn’t have to.”
“They’re newly bonded; they mated just last week.” Parker shook his head to snap out of the melancholy of not being mated. After all, it might have taken a while, but now he had a potential mate of his own. He just had to concentrate on not scaring the little wolf off. “Let me buy you a drink?”
Elliott nodded. “Okay, but charge it to Anthony’s account. It’s his fault I’m here.”
Parker laughed. “Deal.”
Elliott looked across the table at Parker. The other wolf was appealing if you liked big, handsome men with midnight black hair and gorgeous green eyes.
“Why did Anthony pick you for me?” Elliott asked.
Parker set down his beer with a thump. “What makes you think he picked me for you?”
Elliott laughed. “Anthony may be a brilliant architect, but subtle, he’s not.”
Parker shrugged. “He knows I’m looking for a mate, and he thought we’d be a good match.”
“What do you think?”
“I think he’s right.”
“Kiss me.”
“What?” Parker couldn’t have looked more surprised if Elliott had stripped down naked and danced on the table.
“The only way to find out if we’re compatible is to test it. Kiss me, and we can see if we’re wasting our time here or if I should let you have me.” Elliott mentally reviewed his statement and nodded, pleased at his sound logic.
“What makes you think I want you?” Parker asked in a low, growling voice.
Elliott shrugged and gathered his nerve. “Because if you usually get that excited over a beer you’d be an alcoholic.” Elliott pointed at the obvious erection tightening Parker’s jeans.
Parker’s laugh, loud and delighted, lifted a weight off of Elliott’s chest he hadn’t known he’d been carrying. He wanted the other wolf to like him. Having never socialized with a pack before, he didn’t know much about pack dynamics. He only knew what he’d gleaned from the internet, and most of those sources didn’t even believe in werekin.
The invitation from Anthony had been a dream.
When he’d first been hired, he hadn’t known about Anthony’s alpha mate status. In this economy, getting a job straight from college had been enough of a reward. When Anthony had invited Elliott to come and meet members of his pack, Elliott thought all of his dreams had come true. Even the wardrobe Anthony had insisted he buy hadn’t dimmed the thrill of being around so many pack members. Hell, if Parker kissed badly, he’d at least have made a new shifter friend.
God knew he needed them.
Too shy to make friends in college, and having spent his formative years beneath his mother’s thumb, Elliott had never lived life to its fullest. Now, with college behind him, he was ready to start.
Distracted by his thoughts, he almost jumped when Parker grabbed his seat and pulled him closer. The waxed floor allowed the chair to slide smoothly over to the larger man.
“Hello there,” Parker said. Heat and raw need flared in his eyes.
“Hello.” Elliott swallowed, trying to get moisture to his suddenly dry throat.
“If you don’t want to kiss me, you don’t have to,” Parker said.
“I-I want to.” Oh, how he wanted to.
“Good. As long as we’re on the same page.” Parker grabbed Elliott’s shirt and yanked him closer. Capturing Elliott’s mouth with his own, Parker devoured him. Heat poured from Parker like molten lava, so hot Elliott wouldn’t be surprised if parts of his body started to melt. When Parker broke off so they could breathe, Elliott said the first thing that went through his mind.
“Well, you’re not a bad kisser.”
Parker froze. “Did you expect me to be?”
Blushing, he tried to reassure the other wolf. “No, I was just thinking that if our kissing didn’t work out, we could still be friends. But it did. I mean, we are kissing compatible, don’t you think?”
Parker nodded. “Most definitely.” The dark wolf glanced around the bar. “Want to take this somewhere more private?”
A herd of butterflies stampeded Elliott’s stomach. He could almost feel dozens of wings fluttering madly about. He nodded weakly. “Yes, I would.”
Instead of jumping up from his chair and dragging Elliott off, Parker tilted his head and examined Elliott thoroughly as if trying to peek inside his soul. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
“No. No, I do.” Elliott wiped his sweating hands on his leather pants, cursing silently that he wasn’t wearing his usual denim. “I-it’s been a while.” Like never, but that wasn’t information he was going to share with the man looking at him like he was the world’s best treat.
Parker’s eyes took on a speculative gleam. “Have you ever been with anyone?”
Elliott sighed. He wouldn’t blame the gorgeous wolf if he cut his losses and ran. What kind of loser reached Elliott’s age still pure?
He shook his head. Not wanting to see Parker’s expression, he kept his gaze on the floor, waiting for the sound of a chair moving to indicate the other wolf had left. No one wanted a man in his mid-twenties who’d barely been kissed.
The tension grew when Parker didn’t move.
Elliott glanced up.
Parker’s green eyes glowed. “That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard,” the other wolf said. His voice went so deep it took Elliott a moment to decipher the rumble as actual words.
Swallowing, he made sure he understood. “You mean you’re not turned off?”
Parker grabbed Elliott’s right hand and pressed it to his crotch. A firm bulge met Elliott’s curious fingers. “Does that feel turned off to you?”
Elliott shook his head.
“Let’s go to my place where I can show you properly.”
He let out a squeak as Parker ruthlessly yanked him out of his seat and dragged him through the door and up the stairs.
“Have a good night.” Dare’s amused voice followed them out the door.
“Hey, slow down.” Elliott’s feet slid on the parking lot gravel, making him stumble.
“Oh, sorry.” Parker shortened his long strides. The hand on Elliott’s wrist went from vice grip to gentle hold. “You’ve got me so worked up I can hardly think.”
Although Parker’s grip was lighter, Elliott was still being inexorably dragged toward a red pickup. He heard the click of the lock disengaging seconds before Parker pulled the door open.
Elliott dug in his heels.
“What? Did you change your mind?” Parker’s green eyes shone in the dim lights of the parking lot. Elliott could tell Parker’s wolf fought to take over and watched Elliott with an interested gaze.
“I should bring my own car,” Elliot said, proud his voice didn’t shake under Parker’s piercing glare.
“Why? Does Anthony make you work on Sunday?” Parker asked.
The bastard was going to make Elliott spell it out. Elliott sighed in frustration. “No, but I hadn’t planned on staying the night.”
It’s Mother’s Day in the US. I hope if you are a mom you are being celebrated and if not you have a fabulous Sunday.
Today’s contest is going to have a surprise prize, maybe a print book, maybe a pen and dragon set or maybe a gift card. A surprise!
So to enter to win, tell me what fun thing you are doing to celebrate or how you are spending your Sunday.
Happy weekend!
There will be an exclusive sneak peak/short in this month’s newsletter. Maybe even a bonus contest!
Dare Moon had wanted Steven Dell since the first day he saw the sexy wolf shifter. However, no matter how much he flirted Steven wouldn’t give him any of the hot smiles he shared with everyone else in the bar.
Steven had always wanted the perfect mate. Unfortunately all the wolves he took home didn’t measure up to tiger shifter who tended bar at his favorite hangout. Would Steven give up his dreams of a wolf mate and take what Dare was offering, or would he turn his back on his only true chance for happiness.
Chapter One
“So how long have you been in love with my best friend?”
Dare Moon dropped the bottle of alcohol he’d been twirling. Luckily, the expensive top shelf vodka landed on the anti-fatigue mat. The spongy rubber prevented it from shattering on the cement floor.
“What are you talking about?” he gasped, trying to still his pounding heart. “I’m going to tell Silver to cut back your alcohol limit.” He refused to admit to any attraction. Especially when the man he was interested in showed no sign of returning his affection.
Anthony Carrow gave a graceful shrug as he sipped his fruity alcoholic drink. “Silver’s not overly concerned about my alcohol limits. I don’t drink all that much.” He blinked his stunning amber eyes at Dare. “Now about Steven. If you’re not in love with him, why do you stare at him as if you want to pounce and take him down like a squeaky mouse?”
Sighing, Dare gazed across the room where the dark-haired wolf trolled for someone to take home—someone not him. “Nothing’s going on with Steven, and looking is as far as I’ll ever get. He’s made it clear he doesn’t want a tiger.”
Fuck if that didn’t break his heart. He couldn’t change the fact he was a weretiger, even if he wanted to, any more than he could help pining for the handsome werewolf.
Anthony looked unimpressed by Dare’s heartache. “As much as I love him, Steven’s an idiot. In the past three months, none of those pieces of ass he picked up touched a fraction of his heart. He’s only determined to have a wolf mate because his adopted parents are human and he wants to belong to a pack.”
Dare blinked back tears, dipping his head so the empathetic alpha mate wouldn’t notice. “I can’t give him a pack, weretigers only meet to mate.”
“Shit, Dare. I can give him a pack if he wants a pack. What he needs is a soul mate, and it’s my job, or so Silver keeps telling me, to watch out for the pack’s best interests. Well the pack’s best interest is for its fabulous bartender to be happy.”
Small bolts of lightning flashed in the beautiful blond’s eyes—a sign of a storm of the worst sort, an Anthony storm. Shit. It took a lot to upset the sweet-natured alpha mate, but he was an unstoppable force when crossed. Dare looked nervously at the wall of bottles. He hoped he wouldn’t have to explain to Silver what happened to them.
Before he could say anything else, Anthony slid off the bar stool and marched across the busy dance floor. With a talent that was mystically the alpha mate’s, he made a straight line to his friend while everyone moved out of his path in a smooth natural style as if they were never even there.
Standing on his tiptoes, Dare watched the smaller man approach his friend. He briefly got a glimpse of Anthony pulling something out of his pocket, but by then, it was too late.
Fury followed Anthony’s every step. How could Steven not see what was right in front of him? Every weekend, Steven came to the club and picked up a different wolf. Every Monday, he mourned to Anthony about how that wolf ‘wasn’t the one’ and yet here was this sweet-tempered man with sable hair and stunning green eyes Steven completely ignored. Well, no more, he was done with this.
“Steven,” Anthony shouted over the crowd.
The familiar dark-haired head turned toward him, away from the were-twink he was currently talking to. What Steven thought he’d have in common with a skinny submissive who was growing something on his chin that should’ve been allowed to die with dignity, Anthony didn’t know. The kid was at least ten years too young and thirty IQ points too stupid.
“What?” Steven asked.
“I’ve got something for you.”
Steven looked Anthony up and down, searching for his present. “What?”
Anthony slipped the envelope out of his pocket. With deft fingers, he popped open the flap and dumped the contents into his hand.
“This.” Taking a deep breath, Anthony blew the entire handful of green powder onto Steven’s blue silk top and brown leather pants.
“Shit.” Steven tried to brush the stuff off, but it clung like mad to the silk just like Anthony had planned when he recommended the shirt earlier. “What the fuck did you do?”
He glared at Anthony, his blue eyes bristling with ire.
“Enjoy your night.” Giving his friend a wide grin, Anthony turned on one booted heel and sauntered off, letting the crowds swallow him up.
Steven watched his best friend ditch him after ruining his outfit.
What the hell?
Members of the Moon Pack might be fooled into considering his best friend sweet, but Steven knew the ruthless manipulator that lived behind that innocent smile. If Anthony thought something was good for you, it was best to sit back and take it like a man or run like hell.
“Shit, man. What does the alpha mate have against you?” The twink looked at him with suspicious eyes as if Steven were marked for death and he didn’t want to get involved.
A loud roar snapped his attention to the bar. Dare, the cute bartender with pretty green eyes, looked ready to shift. Steven searched the area, wondering who could’ve upset the even-tempered man. He usually kept away from the sexy weretiger because he was incredibly attracted to the man and Steven wanted a wolf shifter. Still, something drew him to Dare like a piece of sticky gum to a new shoe. The connection between them was stronger than any he’d felt for the many men he bed each month.
Steven searched the room for whomever was giving the sexy man a hard time, ready to take the bastard out. He might not want Dare for himself, but he wasn’t going to let some asshole bother him.
Then the smell hit him. Catnip. That little bastard had doused him in catnip powder. He was coated in the stuff.
Shit!
He barely had the time to curse before his back hit the floor as four hundred pounds of white Siberian tiger knocked him over. Luckily, the tiger splayed over him with only his front paws on Steven’s chest. Once he was down, a soft chuffing noise blew his hair away from his face.
Looking into those amazing green eyes, Steven realized the sweet bartender had given himself completely over to his beast.
Damn it to hell.
Anthony was so going to pay for this, but he’d have to be crafty so Silver didn’t rip him apart.
“Hello, Dare,” he said, keeping his tone calm and soothing, hoping he could reach the man hiding inside the big beast. “Remember me? Steven? We’re buddies.” Not a complete truth. He tried to avoid the cute kid because he was so fucking tempting. He wanted a wolf mate not a tiger, no matter how gorgeous, kind, and sexy.
He was so screwed.
A long tongue swiped up one side of his neck, leaving a streak of scraped skin behind.
“Ouch,” Steven complained. Despite his predicament, Steven didn’t feel a smidgen of fear.
He got another amused chuff for his comment.
“Dare, get off of Steven. There’s a good kitty. Remember, you like me. Eating me would be bad.” He hoped like hell the cat understood him. The feral tiger didn’t give him much hope. In the corner of his eye, he saw Ben approaching the white tiger with slow, careful movements. Sweat beaded his forehead as the young man continued walking toward them.
Dare growled and crouched over Steven, like an animal protecting its kill.
“Back off, Ben,” Steven hissed. “He’s not going to hurt me.” He knew deep in his bones the bartender wouldn’t harm a hair on his head. Two pairs of hands reached out and yanked Ben out of the way as Dillon and Thomas pulled their mate to safety. He knew the younger man would get a good scolding when he got back to his apartment. His mates took Ben’s security very seriously.
Confident the young were was protected, Steven turned his attention back to the tiger pinning him down. Another tongue lick bathed the other side of his neck, sending a shiver of pain through his body.
The tiger’s tongue hung out of his mouth in a dopey expression.
“Listen, pal. Anthony has a weird sense of humor. He didn’t mean anything by this,” Steven said.
Mine.
The words floated into his mind, words not his.
“No. I want a wolf,” he protested. An objection that sounded weak even to his ears. At night, alone, he dreamed of the sexy weretiger, but he refused to admit it. He could still find a wolf despite what his instincts screamed about the weretiger.
Tough.
“What do you mean tough?”
Steven was afraid he knew exactly what the weretiger meant. Dare had decided to keep Steven. He couldn’t do that. Could he?
Dare moved to the side and clamped his large mouth around Steven’s arm. With a gentle hold, at odds with his mouthful of sharp teeth, the tiger dragged him backward across the dance floor, toward the elevators. Their audience moved out of the way. Not one of them offered to help Steven out. Most of them looked amused.
Fuckers.
The damn cat was taking him to his den, and no one was going to do a damn thing about it. He knew a lot of it was because they knew Anthony doused him in catnip, and no one was going to interfere with Silver’s mate without an engraved invitation from the alpha.
Digging in his heels, Steven tried to slow their trek across the floor. Unfortunately, at this angle, he was literally in no position to stop the large cat. He couldn’t get enough traction to slow their progress, and he didn’t want to do enough that the big cat thought he needed a better hold and actually sank his teeth further into Steven.
“Third floor?” Anthony’s voice, smooth and clear, floated above him as if they were discussing the weather.
“You fucker. You get me out of this,” Steven spluttered, looking up at his former best friend.
“Why would I want to do that?” Anthony asked.
Steven felt the bump against his back as they went from hallway to elevator. He watched Anthony push a button before stepping back out into the club and leaving him at the big cat’s mercy.
“Have a good night, you two.” His last view was of Anthony waving goodbye as the doors closed.
If there were a chance he would survive it, he’d beat the hell out of his best friend the first opportunity he got.
With a sigh, Steven relaxed beneath Dare. Anthony might be a little shit sometimes, but he wouldn’t leave his best friend in real danger.
“So what are you going to do with me now? Take me to your lair?” He got another painful lick for his teasing. “If you’re going to lick me, I’d prefer it in human form.”
Didn’t that thought make him harder than marble.
Another chuff had him looking up at the enormous beast. Damn, Dare was beautiful no matter what form he took. Months of frustration evaporated as he stroked the soft fur.
“If you let me up, I’ll follow you docile as a lamb.”
The cat cocked his head to one side as if he were considering Steven’s offer.
“Promise.” He blinked, trying to look innocent, but right then the elevator bell dinged and the doors opened. Large jaws gripped his right leather boot and dragged him down the hall.
“Shit. I just bought those boots.” Rug burn was going to be a bitch tomorrow.
The tiger stopped right outside apartment 341, dropping Steven’s foot. Dare reared up on his back paws and scratched at a panel by the door.
As soon as he was released, Steven stood up and was face to face with the huge animal. The tiger flattened his ears.
“I’m just standing, honest.” He wasn’t stupid enough to think he could outrun a big cat.
The panel popped open, revealing a computer screen. One giant paw pressed against the screen. A few flashes and the words reading appeared before there was a click and the apartment door opened.
“Clever. I could use something like that at my house.” All he had was an extra big dog door, but if he was going to be entertaining giant cats in the future, he’d make a few modifications.
Where did that thought come from?
Dare led the way inside. Steven followed, closing the door behind him. His nerves swirled through his stomach as if they were butterflies in a tornado-like frenzy.
Dare sat in the middle of the living room, looking at him with a tilted head like a dog seeking approval. Steven dutifully looked around and was surprised at the rich colors and tasteful collection of blown glass decorating the room.
The bartender had sophisticated tastes.
Now the question was how to get the man of his jerk-off dreams to shift back. Most werekin needed a trigger to shift from their animal form. The moon, a powerful emotion, or certain drugs all worked, depending on the person and what they desired. Catnip obviously served as a trigger for Dare to shift. Maybe the sight of him without clothes would do the reverse.
Watching the big animal for signs of distress or anger, Steven slowly unbuttoned his shirt, then slipped it off his shoulders and let it slide to the floor. The cat sat on his haunches, licking his chops. Hoping this meant he liked the show and not planning on how to eat him for dinner, Steven pulled off his boots and socks.
“Now I’m going to take the rest of my clothes off. Don’t bite anything, Steven ordered.”
He got another agreeing chuff, or maybe the beast was laughing at him. Deciding to focus on the man inside the cat, Steven made his movements as smooth and slinky as possible, hoping to entice the younger man back to his other form. He knew he had nothing like the bartender’s sexy kitty grace, but he wasn’t chopped liver either. Though if he had some, that might trigger a shift too.
Focused on sliding off his tight leather pants in the sexiest manner possible, Steven was startled when a callused finger slid up his arm.
“Fuck, you’re the sexiest thing ever,” Dare said, his voice rough from his change.
Steven barely finished removing his pants when warm hands gripped and yanked him against acres of hot naked bartender.
Steven’s mouth was taken in a kiss so carnal he went from nothing to full arousal in the blink of a tiger’s eye. Who knew cats were so fucking hot? Coherent thought burned away from the passionate flames flaring high with the contact of skin against skin.
Memories of every encounter before melted beneath the searing heat of the weretiger’s touch. Never again would he consider the fast couplings of other wolves an acceptable substitution.
Steven knew that once he succumbed to Dare, things would never be the same.
Fuck.
He wrenched free. “Just a minute.”
Dare lunged. Steven tripped over his boots and went down.
A warm naked body slid on top of him, holding him to the plush carpet.
“Got you.” Dare’s eyes glowed bright green, telling Steven the other man wasn’t quite completely in charge of his cat, and he’d be damned if the thought of being prey didn’t make him hard enough to ache.
He reached up to stroke the werecat’s hair only to have his hands pinned beside his head on the carpet. For as many times as he’d imagined being in Dare’s arms, it was always with him being the aggressor. He was used to being the man in charge, the one who called all the shots.
Dare rubbed noses with him before sliding his cheek against Steven’s right cheek then his left in an affectionate cat gesture. The slight rasp of a five o’clock shadow sent shivers down Steven’s spine, everything in his body seized. His toes curled from the sensation. If he were a cat shifter, he would’ve purred.
“Fuck.” He almost came from that nuzzle alone. There was no way he was going to last much longer. “This first one’s going to be fast.”
“As long as it’s only the first.” The bartender’s voice, deep and rough, slid down Steven’s spine in an auditory caress. Dare flashed Steven a playful smile then gripped both of their cocks together in one large hand, tugging and rubbing until Steven forgot how to speak, how to form words and that there was even a language that didn’t completely consist of moans, whimpers, and satisfied sighs.
The room blurred before his eyes as he came so hard he poured out his soul into the tiger shifter’s hand. Dare soon followed with a shout of his own before collapsing on top of Steven.
Dare’s weight pressed him into the plush carpet, and for the first time, Steven didn’t mind the weight or the stickiness. Usually right after sex, Steven ushered his wolf partner to the door and called Anthony to gripe about the lack of emotional connection. Instead, he snuggled Dare closer, content to lie without breathing, because fuck, Dare was heavy.
“Shit, Steven,” Dare said, moving off of him. “I didn’t mean to crush you.”
“No worries, babe.” Steven slid his fingers through Dare’s amazing sable hair. It was soft and tumbled down to the base of the younger man’s neck. “Why isn’t your hair white?” His mind floated after the best orgasm in his life, fixating on little details. Most shifters reflected their coloring when they shifted. Orange tigers had auburn hair, it was curious to him that Dare didn’t have white.
The weretiger shrugged. “Just one of those odd magic things. Want a shower?”
Steven nodded. “I’d love one. Did you want me to head out afterward or do you want to get a bite to eat?”
Dare walked ahead of him, heading to where Steven assumed the bathroom was located. At Steven’s words, the weretiger’s head snapped around, and he found himself facing one pissed off cat shifter. He could tell his lover barely held onto his human form. The tiger’s eyes could light up the room with their glow.
“Go?” he growled.
Steven held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I was just checking. I didn’t want to impose.”
Dare rolled his shoulders, as if trying to shove the tiger back under his skin. His big body shook with the effort. After a few minutes, he was able to speak. “Sorry, my tiger wants you to stay pretty bad. If you don’t mind spending the night, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to.” He hoped he sounded more nonchalant than he felt.
Steven never stayed the night. He must’ve succeeded in sounding sincere because he could almost see the tension leave Dare.
They walked down a pretty green painted hall that reminded Steven of a lush forest and into the prettiest bathroom he’d ever seen. It wasn’t rich and masculine like the rest of the place. It was actually pretty. A pedestal sink in pale blue with an old claw foot tub with flowers painted on the sides dominated the room.
He saw Dare blush at his surprised stare. “It was like this when I moved in. I thought it was nice.”
“It is,” he assured his lover. “It is.” When Dare turned to start up the shower, he let his smile out. The kid was so sweet he could eat him up with a spoon.
His cock took interest in that idea.
“The water’s ready.” Dare pulled two towels from a beautifully carved wooden cabinet in the corner. He slipped into the bath, leaving the shower curtain open for Steven to join him.
Without hesitation, Steven followed that fine ass inside. “I guess I’ll have to thank Anthony, instead of kicking his butt,” he mused as he watched the handsome man get mouth-wateringly wet.
Dare laughed. “You couldn’t kick Anthony anyway and still make it out of the bar alive.”
Steven laughed. “True. I slapped Anthony on the back one day and Silver almost ripped off my arm.”
A low growl came from Dare, his eyes glowing again. “He better not harm you.”
“Shhh. No, babe. I’m fine.” He ran soothing circles around Dare’s shoulders, cradling him close so he could reach his back. The two men were near to the same height, making it easy for Steven to cuddle Dare close and give him gentle kisses. “Easy, babe. I’m good.”
Is this what Anthony had to deal with on a daily basis? For a moment, Steven had a smidgen of sympathy for his friend.
Dare shook his head. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so touchy today. Maybe that catnip hasn’t completely worn off. Usually, it just makes me a little loopy. Having it on you has made me into a possessive jerk.”
Even as he said those words, he snuggled closer. The pair of them stood in the heated stream of water as if trying to wash away their worries.
Steven pushed aside his own concerns to reassure the trembling bartender. “Come on, babe, let’s finish washing and go back to bed.” He was a little worried at how comfortable those words sounded, like they’d been long-time lovers. Shaking his head, he gave into the inevitable. The beautiful weretiger was his, and he would have to learn to adapt.
This time, it was affection and not passion that had them rinsing each other off. With smiles and gentle touches, they dried and headed toward the bedroom.
Dare woke up warm, sated, and wrapped in the arms of his dream man. Sighing, he nuzzled in closer, wishing for the first time he was the kind of cat that could purr.
“Morning, kitty.” A large warm hand stroked his head, causing an involuntary sigh to pour from Dare’s mouth.
“Morning, wolf man.” He tilted his mouth for his morning kiss.
“I have morning breath,” Steven warned.
“Two morning breaths cancel each other out.” Dare latched onto Steven’s lips like a drowning man grabbing a life preserver. If this was the only encounter they were ever going to have, he needed to take advantage of it. He didn’t bother hoping the wolf saw this as a step toward their future. If the man hadn’t wanted him before, he wasn’t going to change his mind now. However, Dare planned to enjoy their time together now, even if it was short.
Two hard pricks rubbed together, leaking copiously.
“Oh, like that, babe.” Steven’s hands gripped Dare’s ass, pulling him tighter against him. “Oh, yeah. Just like that.”
It didn’t take long before one cry followed another as the two men gave over to passion in each other’s arms.
“Mmm.” Dare licked a path up Steven’s neck before worrying a mark into his skin, a mark that would show high above any collar.
“Marking me, baby?” Steven asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Dare jerked back. “Oh god. I didn’t mean to.” Well, consciously. Subconsciously, he was apparently all about marking the man lying beside him. Scent, bites, anything to leave a sign the sexy wolf was taken.
Steven laughed. “That’s all right. I’m not ashamed of having sex with you.”
Having sex.
Dare averted his head as he blinked back the sudden watering of his eyes. “I’d better brush my teeth and get dressed. I have to get to work.” He stumbled out of bed and headed for the bathroom door. He didn’t want the man in his bed to know that while Dare was making love Steven was having another bout of meaningless sex.
“Did I do something wrong?” Steven called out.
Dare shook his head, not slowing his stride. “I-I just need to go.”
“You work nights,” he heard Steven sliding out of bed to follow.
He resisted the temptation to look. “Not the rest of this week. I’m working with Dillon and Parker to look for those mutant werewolves.”
“What do you mean you’re working with those two? You’re a bartender, not an investigator,” Steven growled.
Dare finally turned around, glaring at the intense blue-eyed man before him. “I’m also a four hundred pound tiger. I’m good in a fight. If they find those other wolves, I can keep them safe.”
“And who’s going to keep you safe?” Steven asked.
Dare rolled his eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
Walking away from Steven before he said anything he’d regret, he headed for the bathroom.
Steven watched the fine ass of his lover walk away from him, Dare’s back was straight and his shoulders stiff with anger.
Shit.
It didn’t look like he could say anything right today. First, something he’d said had hurt Dare’s feelings; now, the cat was angry with him for being concerned. He could feel Dare’s emotions as if they were his own, and the entire experience unsettled him.
Damn, who knew werecats were so high maintenance?
Steven entered the bathroom cautiously, uncertain of his reception. Dare was standing at the sink brushing his teeth, his beautiful body tantalizing in the morning light. Well, this was something they could agree on.
They both wanted the other’s touch.
Steven moved behind Dare and wrapped his arms around the stiff figure. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, baby. I just don’t like the thought of you going against bad guys. Hell, last time Anthony got shot, and he’s damn near indestructible.”
“I’m sorry you don’t think I can protect myself,” Dare said, his tone unbending.
“No. No, babe.” He stroked Dare’s chest until the younger man melted against him like the boneless kitty he was. Steven cradled Dare close. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. Why don’t I come along and help? I’m a trained investigator.” Steven had a computer investigation business where he researched information on people for companies and individuals alike.
Dare shook his head. “Silver wanted to keep this to pack only.”
Steven jerked away like he’d been struck. “You’re not pack,” he pointed out.
“I might not be a wolf, but I’m a member of the pack. Anthony declared me pack last full moon.”
Jealousy bit deep. Anthony, who didn’t have any wolf heritage, and Dare, who was a fucking tiger, could belong to the wolf pack, but Steven was left out in the cold.
“I’m sorry I’m not good enough to join your little club.”
Dare’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean it like that! You just have to petition. I’m sure Silver would take you if he knew you were interested, but it’s been a while and you haven’t said anything, so I guess we all assumed you didn’t want to belong to the Moon pack. You’re Anthony’s friend and a shifter, I’m sure he would make you pack if you asked.”
Steven bit his lip. He hadn’t talked to Silver about joining because he kept hoping he would mate into the pack like Dillon and Ben. He’d even tried dating wolves in other packs, but he kept coming back to this one. It wasn’t just that his oldest friend helped run it. He felt a pull to the Moon pack. Now he wondered if he’d just been fooling himself, and it wasn’t the pack, but Dare, that was the pull. Could a wolf really mate with a tiger permanently?
The pair finished their shower in thoughtful silence.
Dare loaned Steven some clothes. Steven didn’t say anything to the younger man, but he got a secret pleasure from wearing Dare’s clothes. He knew any wolf near him would smell the tiger’s scent covering him from shirt to socks. He felt giddy inside, like an adolescent girl with her boyfriend’s letterman jacket.
He shared none of that with the weretiger as he followed Dare out of the apartment and into the elevator.
“It looks different on my feet,” he teased enjoying the flush that colored Dare’s cheeks.
“Sorry about that.”
Steven shrugged. “I’ll talk to Anthony. That little stunt was his fault.”
Dare smiled. “Yeah, but I liked how it ended so don’t be too hard on him.”
Leaning over to place a kiss on those lush lips, Steven had to agree. “I’ll take it easy on the little shit because I really enjoyed last night.” He gave the cat another kiss before breaking apart when the elevator doors opened.
In the early afternoon, the bar was mostly empty.
Dare turned to Steven. “I’ll catch up with you later. I told Dillon and Parker I would meet them at Parker’s house.”
Steven growled. “You’re not going alone to meet an unmated were at his house.”
“What’s your problem?” The confusion on Dare’s face told him the tiger shifter had no idea Steven was making a claim. Parker was one of the few werekin who had a house of his own instead of staying with the pack. He’d inherited the house from his mother and refused to part with it or live with the others. Rumor had it he got special dispensation from Silver and had to take extra training to prove he could protect himself.
There was no way in hell Steven was going to let his mate go into that bachelor den alone.
Mate?
Fuck.
Staggering under the weight of his new knowledge, Steven stabbed a finger in the direction of an empty table. “Wait for me there.” He got a pissed off expression from his kitty, but Dare did what he asked.
Good. It would help their relationship for Dare to realize who was in charge at the beginning.
Without another look, he headed for Silver’s office. Knocking, he waited for the bid to enter before he opened the door.
Silver’s large office contained an enormous desk, a small conference table, and lots of seating for impromptu meetings with staff and pack members.
When Silver looked up, he received a half smile. The happiest expression the alpha ever gave outside the sphere of Anthony.
“Anthony’s at his office downtown,” Silver pointed out.
“I didn’t come to see Anthony. I came to see you,” Steven said.
“Oh.” Silver shrugged. “If it’s about the catnip incident, I already talked to Anthony about that.”
Steven laughed. “And I’m sure he was properly repentant and begged forgiveness on his knees.”
A blush covered the cheeks of the tough alpha. “He did something on his knees that made me forget my name, but I did try to scold him.”
Shaking his head, Steven let the alpha off the hook. “That’s okay. It doesn’t do any good to lecture Anthony; I know from past experience. Besides, he did me a good turn.”
“You and Dare?” Silver’s raised eyebrows caused a wave of trepidation in Steven’s chest.
“What? You don’t think we’ll make good mates?”
“Shit. You just cost me a diamond ring. I told Anthony there’s no way you’d go for a cat.” Silver sighed in mock disappointment. The twinkle in his silver eyes gave him away.
Steven shook his head sadly. “You should know better than to bet against Anthony.”
A sheepish smile crossed the alpha’s face. “Yeah, but this was one bet I was hoping to lose. Sometimes he wears turtlenecks where no one can see his collar. I need to have him wear something even a standard human can understand. Marking him with my scent doesn’t do any good if humans can’t smell it.”
Steven had to hold onto the desk as he laughed so hard tears filled his eyes. “Poor you. Mating with a beautiful man is such hard work.”
“You know it. It’s not easy staying one step ahead of my man, but he’s worth every bit. Want to see his ring?” Silver’s eyes lit up with anticipation like a kid wanting to show off the present he got for Christmas.
It was sweet how the large man doted on Anthony. In that ‘too much sugar your teeth will rot’ kind of way.
“Sure,” he said. After all, if he wanted to get on the alpha’s good side, he didn’t want to piss him off at this juncture. If it took admiring his best friend’s new bauble, it would be well worth it.
Silver pulled a desk drawer open and handed over a black leather ring box. Opening the jewelry box, Steven caught his breath. He wasn’t a man given to jewelry, but he knew his friend would adore this. Inside the box lay a heavy gold man’s ring with a giant square amber stone with two rows of pavé diamonds circling the band. Steven bet if the ring was held up to Anthony’s face, it would exactly match his friend’s eyes.
“I’ve never seen a yellow diamond before,” Steven said.
Silver smiled. “They’re very rare, just like Anthony.”
Would puking ruin his chances? Who knew the huge alpha had a big squishy inside? He wisely refrained from commenting. “It’s beautiful. I’m sure he’ll love it.” Really, he just couldn’t resist. “You know you could just pee a circle around him. The werekin will know that you’re marking him and the humans will be disgusted enough to leave him alone.”
Laughing, Silver shook his head. “Somehow I don’t think Anthony would appreciate the sentiment.”
Steven smiled at the image of Anthony that sprang into his mind. It was best Silver didn’t follow his advice because he didn’t want to think about what his best friend would do in retaliation.
Silver frowned at the ring a moment before sliding it back inside his desk. “He’d better like it. I had to contract with weremoles to get a rate I didn’t have to sell the building for.”
“You know Anthony would love you even if you didn’t give him a ring.” Steven didn’t want Silver to fall into the same trap many men did when trying to keep a beautiful lover. As much as Anthony loved gifts, he wouldn’t care if his lover couldn’t afford them. Steven was confident his friend loved Silver with or without the trinkets.
“I know,” Silver sighed. “But I want his parents to know I can take care of him. That father of his didn’t seem convinced we were fated to be mates. At least the ring will let everyone know my man is loved and appreciated and to back the hell off.” The alpha gave a self-conscious shrug. “Enough about me. What did you come here for?”
Steven took a deep breath. “I’d like to join the pack.”
Shrewd eyes examined him. “Why now? You’ve never shown interest in the pack before. Unless there’s more to the story I heard about a big cat dragging you out of the bar last night.”
“Dare is my mate.” Steven rushed the words out like a run-on sentence. A ball of fear lodged in his throat as he admitted the truth out loud. It was almost painful giving up on the dream of a wolf mate, but he wouldn’t give up his weretiger for anyone.
“Are you sure? If he was really your mate, I would’ve thought you’d know earlier,” Silver regarded Steven with his piercing eyes.
Steven blushed with shame. “I kind of did. I just wanted him to be a wolf.”
“Ah. Well, I can’t say I don’t understand. My life would be a lot easier if Anthony was a wolf, less interesting but easier. Does Dare know you avoided him all this time because he’s a tiger? Has he agreed to be your mate?”
“He’ll agree,” Steven said, a low growl rolling across his words. “He had better agree, but that’s not why I came here. I want to help you find the mutant pack.”
Silver stood up. “I’ll give you temporary membership to assist the others. We can use all the help we can get. However, until Dare accepts you fully, I can’t admit you as a full pack member unless you want to enter as an unaffiliated wolf.”
“What’s that?” His werewolf lore wasn’t the best, and he was still finding gaps in his knowledge when dealing with werewolves who grew up in a pack.
“It would mean you joined without any affiliation except the bonds of friendship. Your connection with Anthony is enough to have you join as a lone wolf,” Silver explained.
Steven shook his head. “I’ll wait until Dare accepts me. If I join as lone, he might think that means I don’t want him, and I already did enough damage.”
“Then welcome as a temporary member.” Silver held out his hand.
Steven accepted the alpha’s handshake and tilted his head to acknowledge his pack submission.
“You’re going to have to do that for Anthony also, you know,” Silver teased.
Steven let go of his new alpha’s hand. “Shit.”
Turning, he stomped out the door.
Dare was sitting where he left him, sipping a cola out of a clear glass. A few members of the club sat with him, chattering about something or other; Steven didn’t pay attention. What he did notice was they were all sitting too fucking close to his man.
“Come on, babe. I’ll take you to Parker’s.”
Dare gave the other men a nod, and after dropping his glass off at the bar, let Steven lead him outside.
Just a little visit from our favorite couple! (Note: Not professionally edited)
Anthony picked up Trin and settled him on his left hip, then wrapped his right arm around Silver’s left.
“Ready?” Anthony asked.
“Yep,” Trin piped up in his sweet voice.
“Got food?”
“Yes, dear.” Silver smirked, lifting the wicker picnic basket up for his inspection.
“Just asking.” Anthony huffed. It had been several weeks since they had been the chance to spend family time that didn’t include a full moon or a magical catastrophe. “Hold your breath.”
With a push of magic, he transported the three of them to a beautiful clear patch of grass in the middle of a tall forest. A breeze rustled through the hanging leaves, carrying the scents of blooming lavender, green grass and the cool water of a pond a few feet away.
Trin teleported himself out of Anthony’s arms and straight into a patch of wildflowers sending a kaleidoscope of butterflies into a swirling frenzy.
“Pretty!” With the butterfly’s departure he turned his attention to the cluster of dandelions. His chubby cheeks inflated before he released a puffing breath at weed. Seeds exploded apart carried away with the light breeze. Anthony waved his hand to encourage their path and his son’s excitement.
“Yay!” Trin shouted.
Silver rolled his eyes at their antics. “Where do you want the blanket set down?”
Anthony surveyed their available spots. “How about over there. It’s partially in the shade. Even with sunscreen Trin could get a burn.”
“For all of a second.” Silver snorted. “His magic doesn’t let it stick around.”
“I wish my magic would do that.” Anthony sulked. Last summer, his skin had been fire-engine red after a visit to the beach.
Silver laid out the blanket in its assigned spot. The cloth had barely touched the grass before Silver transformed into his wolf and chased after Trin. Happy squeals filled the clearing. Anthony smiled at his family enjoying the day. The stress of everyday life between Anthony’s company and Silver’s pack had built up over the last year. They needed an afternoon away from everything to relax without someone barging into either of their offices or calling them on the phone. Everyone had been alerted that if they called it had best be an emergency.
Instead of joining them, Anthony lay on the blanket propping his chin on his hands. All set to watch his favorite people have a good time. After weeks of rain, they couldn’t have had a nicer day for their outing.
A crack of thunder in the cloudless sky was his only warning of a new addition to their day.
“They are as adorable as a pile of puppies,” Zeus said.
Anthony reluctantly got to his feet. “What are you doing here grandfather?”
Zeus opened his arms wide. “What? No hello? No hug? What is the world coming to?”
Anthon sighed. He gave Zeus a quick hug before stepping back. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but why are you here?”
Zeus kept his gaze focused on Silver and Trin. Somehow, they missed Zeus arriving. “Are you going to want another one?”
“Another child?” Anthony laughed. “I can barely handle the one I have.”
“Hmm, you should think of the future.” Zeus scratched at his cheek, a human gesture that threw Anthony for a bit as he stared at the god.
Anthony’s mouth slid into a sly smile. “Perhaps you should be talking to father. After all he and mother are separated now.”
Zeus’s grin would’ve terrified him if he thought it was for him. “Excellent idea. And your father likes women too. Perhaps we can get you some siblings.” With crack of lightening, Zeus vanished.
A sigh escaped Anthony, soul deep. “Gods are exhausting.”
Silver wrapped his arms around Anthony. “I know at least one hot young god who perks me up.”
Anthony rubbed his hands up and down Silver’s arms. “Glad to hear it.”
“Come play!” Trin shouted.
“Hear that, the little alpha demands our presence.” Silver’s voice rumbled against Anthony’s back.
“Maybe after a game of chase we can stuff him full of food until he naps.”
“That would free up his parents to play games of our own.” Silver nipped at Anthony’s neck.
Anthony smiled. “Sounds like a great idea.”
Silver slid his right hand beneath Anthony’s chin and tiled his head up. “What did Zeus want?”
“You saw him and didn’t come over?”
“I thought it best for our relationship to ignore him unless he called for me.”
“Hmm, probably a good idea. He wants us to have more children.”
“Really? Shouldn’t he leave that discussion for us to decide.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you? He’s a bit on the pushy side.”
“A bit?”
Anthony raised his fingers a quarter inch apart. “A little bit.”
Silver kissed Anthony. Despite the angle, Silver’s lips still sent shivers down his spine. “I’m happy with our family as it is for now.”
“I agree.” Anthony could handle Zeus. If he had to he would use a smidge of blackmail against the god. Anthony’s father had given him a few things to use if he got into a bind.
“Come play!” Trin shouted.
Anthony pulled out of Silver’s arms. Between steps he transformed into a wolf and chased after his child who gave squeals of excitement. There were troubles on the horizon, but life was really good right now and Anthony was determined to enjoy the afternoon with his family.
Scary mutants with an agenda kidnap Calvin’s sister. In return for getting her back Calvin is asked to bring Anthony the man he’s doing some carpentry work for to the mutant leader. Alesandro is a vampire consultant there to help Anthony with his hotel project. When the two meet sparks fly but will betrayal drive a wedge between two men fated to be together?
Chapter One
Alesandro leaned over and spoke into the beautiful blond’s ear. “Do you think he’s single?”
“Maybe. He’s not wearing a ring, and he did stare at me when we were introduced.”
The vampire snorted. “That only means he’s not blind.”
A low laugh was his companion’s response. Al smiled. He liked making Anthony laugh. Over the past few months of building the paranatural-centered hotel, they had become good friends. A sweet man and a brilliant architect, Al admired Anthony a great deal. The meeting tonight was to talk with the woodworker about the design for the vampire suites.
The two of them had made a deal where Al, the master vampire of a small group, would provide consultation in exchange for the occasional use of one of the hotel rooms free of charge. Vampires were extremely territorial, and this would make a good conciliatory gesture when an important vamp he didn’t want to house at the tower came into town.
Watching the luscious man lean over to get a measurement, he had to admit there was more than one benefit to this arrangement.
“Stop drooling. You’re going to make the poor boy nervous. Not to mention he might slip in the wet spot,” Anthony said with a teasing smile.
“The poor boy’s name is Calvin,” the carpenter said, turning around and looking at the pair. “And the day I mind being stared at by two gorgeous men is the day they dig a hole and throw me in it, because I’ll be dead.”
He flashed a smile, showing a pair of deep dimples in his tanned cheeks. Warm brown eyes twinkling with amusement watched them both. The man’s skin had an olive cast that spoke of some Spanish heritage somewhere in his family tree.
Yummm.
“I guess we’re not strong on subtlety,” Anthony said. “By the way, thanks for coming after hours. Alesandro here doesn’t do well in the sunlight.”
“Wow, you really aren’t subtle,” Al said, shaking his head. “My brazen friend has hung out with too many werewolves lately, but that does beg the question as to whether you’d mind dating a vampire.”
Calvin laughed. “I can tell you’re the subtle one.”
“Nah, I just dazzle them with my smile,” Al said, flashing his pearly whites.
The woodworker shook his head and turned back to his measuring, occasionally pausing to make notes in a small notebook he kept in his front pocket when not scrawling obscure notations inside. Al had snuck a peek earlier but hadn’t been able to make out what the different numbers referred to.
“If you do good work, I’ll have other jobs for you. This is just the first of many projects I have in mind,” Anthony said.
“I don’t suppose Silver is aware of your other projects?” Al asked without much hope. Anthony took great joy in keeping his big, bad mate on his toes.
“Now what fun would that be?” Anthony asked, batting his long eyelashes. “I wouldn’t want my mate to become bored.”
Calvin laughed again, and Al decided he could get used to the sound.
Even though he knew other things needed his attention, he couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering up and down the young, hot woodworker. Al’s body was in complete agreement about the beauty of the view. There wasn’t anything about the young man that didn’t appeal. From his strong callused fingers to his wide shoulders and muscled physique, the man was smoking hot. Throw in the pretty dark hair and soulful brown eyes, and the entire package was irresistible.
Yum.
His mind might think he was too old to drool over a hot young stud, but his other body parts were unconvinced. His cock in particular wanted an introduction.
A wolf howl sounded in the room, startling him from his thoughts.
Anthony gave a sheepish smile and lifted the tiny cell phone out of the holster on his hip.
“Hi, sugarlips,” he said into the receiver.
Al snorted. The various pet names the sleek blond gave his huge, buff werewolf mate were a source of constant amusement, but it was the love in Silver’s eyes when he looked at Anthony that kept the mocking at a minimum. It was hard to taunt someone who didn’t give a crap. Everyone knew Silver would do anything for his beautiful mate as long as Anthony’s safety wasn’t an issue.
A veritable fleet of bodyguards surrounded the man at all times, keeping him safe from cranky hotel guests and vicious paper cuts, because those were the only dangers Al ever saw attacking the stunning blond.
“Al, I’ve got to get home to Silver, he’s having a minor meltdown about the time. Do you think you can show Calvin the other things we discussed, especially the bar?” The vampire wasn’t fooled. His friend was purposely leaving him alone with his current obsession.
Anthony smelled of lust after talking to his mate. Al’s fangs slid down a fraction at the alluring scent. With force of will, he pulled his teeth back into his gums before responding. Ruining the relationship between his vampire clan and the wolves while endangering his own life weren’t in his plans for the evening. He knew that, despite Anthony’s friendliness, the man’s bodyguards would rip out Al’s throat if he so much as sniffed the man inappropriately.
“Absolutely. I’d be happy to.” Images of all the things he could show the young man flashed through his brain like a high definition porno.
“Thanks, you’re a dear.” Anthony placed a soft kiss on his cheek and dashed out the door with a breezy wave goodbye to Calvin. Al watched with amusement as the blond ignored the two werewolves who detached themselves from the wall and followed him out. It was as if he was so used to people shadowing him that he didn’t even see them anymore.
“Does he always have bodyguards?” Calvin asked, coming up to the vampire’s side as they watched Anthony leave. That was one man who was a good view coming and going.
He nodded. “I’m sure you were warned when you came to work for Anthony that Silver is very protective.”
Calvin snorted. “You mean when the scary as fuck werewolf told me if I touched his man he would ‘snap my neck like a toothpick and throw me in the meadow for the wolves to eat’? Nothing says welcome to the company quite like a death threat.”
Alesandro laughed. “To answer your question, yes, Anthony always has bodyguards. It’s not uncommon for one werekin pack to kidnap important members from another pack in order to get territory concessions.” He tilted his head toward Anthony’s exit. “And it isn’t exactly a secret that Silver would do anything for his mate. He may be the strongest wolf in North America but Anthony is his biggest weakness.”
Calvin gave him a strange look that Al couldn’t interpret.
* * * *
Alone with the vamp, Cal’s nerves trembled. He didn’t mind Anthony watching him, because he could feel his gaze was admiring, not offensive, but the vampire looked at him like he was Al’s next lunch.
With a vampire, that was a real possibility.
“Relax, handsome.” Alesandro’s voice was smoky, like good jazz. It made Cal want to wrap himself in the other man’s essence and stay a while. Only the knowledge he would soon betray the vampire’s friend kept him from jumping the handsome vamp.
Calvin snuck another look at Alesandro. Fuck, he could almost come from the sight of those gorgeous green eyes alone. Alesandro had that whole sexy vampire thing going, with short black hair lying shiny and smooth across his well-shaped head, large mesmerizing green eyes, and a tall, slim body that made everything in Calvin ache. However, it was the power pouring off the other man and engulfing him with pulsing desire that made him want to slam Alesandro against the wall and grind against the vampire until they both came. Images of different sexual positions possible in an enclosed area kept him hard and aching as he measured the space and calculated time for his projects. He hid his erection by turning his back to Alesandro and sketching rough estimates in his notebook. He wondered briefly if vampires could really read minds.
A low chuckle drew his attention back to Alesandro’s face.
“Is there something you’re trying to hide from me?” The vampire pinned him with a cool look. Calvin’s dick got harder beneath those stunning green eyes even as relief filled him. If the vampire couldn’t read his mind then Calvin wouldn’t have to worry about blocking his thoughts. He was still trying to figure out how to grab the blond from his cadre of bodyguards, and the clock was ticking.
He needed a little diversion.
“I’m sure there are all kinds of things I’m trying to hide from you,” he confessed. “Right now, it’s the condition of my cock.”
Leaning over, Calvin took a final measurement. If he wiggled a little more than necessary to distract the vamp, neither of them mentioned it. The heat flaring in Alesandro’s eyes when he glanced back should’ve set off the newly installed smoke detectors.
“Now that I know what Anthony is looking for, I can get the rest of these started tomorrow and finished by the end of next week. I’ll build up the bedframes so that the vampire beds will fully recess below and lock from the inside. I’ll also adjust them to fit a feather-top mattress so vampires can have comfort as well as safety. Anyone looking in the room will see an empty raised bed unless, of course, the vampire brings a human companion, in which case they can sleep in the upper bed without crushing the one below. The bed skirt will hide the lower compartment so it won’t be in view and Anthony mentioned only security-cleared maids will have access to the beds. The custom fireplace for the lobby will take a few weeks to carve, and the design he wants on the stairway could take up to a month. Do you think he’ll have a problem with that?”
Alessandro shrugged. “I’ll ask him tomorrow. What about the bar?”
Calvin straightened from his position crouched on the floor. “What about the bar?”
“Anthony wants wolves carved along the edge of the bar to represent his lover’s pack.”
“Cool. I can do wolves. In fact, if you get me pictures, I can even make it look like members of the pack.” Calvin first dreamed of being an artist before responsibility demanded he learn his grandfather’s woodworking skills. When the old man died, he’d left Calvin alone with his younger sister and a rich woodcarving heritage. Unfortunately, it was the only thing they inherited besides a small house and a set of kick ass carving tools. He pushed to the back of his mind the fact he wouldn’t be there to do the project, no matter how enticing. When he betrayed Anthony, he was certain the pack alpha would investigate very quickly. Once Silver found out that Calvin betrayed his mate, his chances of staying alive weren’t very good.
If only he could stay and work with Anthony. The thought of betraying the man who wanted to make a place for all para-kind ate at his gut. Not only was it a good project but the guy was really nice. From the first day, well, after the alpha’s death threat, everyone on staff treated him like he was one of the pack instead of an outside guy doing a little work. Unfortunately, with his sister’s life on the line, blood would win over friendship every time. He couldn’t afford to enjoy being one of the group, not when his sister could be going through torture while he enjoyed the job opportunity of a lifetime. He was pulled out of his grim thoughts by the vampire’s next words.
“Come, I’ll take you to the bar so you can get an idea of the scope of the job.”
Alesandro led him to the stairs, opening the door for Calvin to go through first. Other than a raised brow, the carpenter didn’t ask why they weren’t using the elevator. He knew vampires didn’t like enclosed spaces, except when they slept. He’d done his research before he accepted the job. Anthony was also offering windowless bedrooms for those who wanted a more airy environment, since there was always an exception to the rule. The man thought of everything.
The two of them walked down the stairs without comment. He had no idea what Alesandro was thinking, but he did admire the view as they made their way down two flights to the main lobby.
They came out into a marbled hall that brought a new level to the word luxurious. Designed to appeal to the paranatural world, the entry was a combination of sinful luxury and interesting details made to appeal to different factions. A water feature started with a lion at one end of the lobby pouring water out of its mouth then flowing down a long, shallow waterway to the other side. The water flow ended in a shallow pool with a small fountain decorated with mermaids and fairies. Little flashes of gold alerted guests to the tiny fishes swimming within. Elaborate blown glass lights were all set on low as most paras either had enhanced night vision or were sensitive to bright lights. Even the walls had special paint designed to have an extra layer of color for those with spectral vision. Tucked amongst the potted plants and beautiful fixtures were small statues of wolves, lions, bears, and other fantastical forms so that all felt welcome.
“He’s made something special here,” Calvin said, coming to stand beside Alesandro. “I’m not a para, and even I can feel the care given to this place. The details are incredible.” They tilted their heads to look at the vaulted ceiling where the moon glowed softly through specially coated windows. In the full light of day, a vampire could walk safely through the lobby.
Alesandro nodded. “It’s something special all right, and you’re here to make sure it’s even more special. Come on, the bar is this way.”
He led the way through an arched doorway decorated with nymphs.
Calvin barely had time to admire the bar’s beautiful wooden top before a long firm body was at his back, pressing him against the hard surface.
“You are such a beautiful man,” Alesandro whispered in his ear. Soft lips brushed against the fine hairs on Calvin’s skin, sending shivers down his spine.
Cal’s back arched from the sensation. When did the vampire get so close?
“Um. Thank you,” he glanced down at the bar, anxious to change the subject, anything to distract the hot man behind him. Although he longed for Alesandro with a gnawing ache in his gut, he couldn’t get involved with the man. They had no future, and he had enough baggage right now to open a luggage store.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large piece of wood before.”
“I’ve got some wood for you right here,” the vampire said, rubbing his hard prick against Cal’s ass.
So much for distraction. He tried again. “It looks like one piece.”
Sighing, Alesandro stepped back. “It was donated by a dying dryad. Her tree was rotting from some sort of disease so she allowed them to cut it down and bring the tree here.”
“Didn’t that kill her?”
The vampire leaned his entire body against Calvin’s, rubbing their cheeks together. The rough scrape of Alesandro’s whiskers sent a shiver through the carpenter. His dick was so hard he could drill a hole through the bar. Who needed tools?
“Anthony felt it would be murder to take the dryad’s tree, and give the hotel a bad aura, so he hired a witch to transfer her to a healthy young oak before cutting this one down,” Alesandro explained.
Amazing. Touching the wood, Calvin thought he could almost hear the memories of the forest vibrating beneath his fingertips.
Alesandro’s hands gripped Calvin’s hips, pulling him into the vee of the man’s thighs. One hand released him and stroked the wood next to Calvin’s fingers, evoking images of other things he could be stroking.
“You can almost feel the love the dryad had for this tree. I think Anthony made the right decision, even if it did add to the cost. Did the witch charge him a lot?” He couldn’t imagine anyone taking advantage of the blond, not with his growly protector, but there were a lot of fools in the world.
He felt Alesandro shrug. “She asked for a few nights here in exchange. It was the cost of getting the tree cut down, shaped, then installed that was so pricey. I think, in the end, the bar will add a lot to the hotel. I can feel its calming magic as soon as I enter the bar. I believe Anthony was thinking of his mate when he chose it. A bit of forest magic in the middle of the city will help calm the wolves.”
“That’s so sweet.” To go to all that trouble for his mate raised Calvin’s estimation of Anthony and dug the guilt in deeper. Anyone who went to that much trouble wasn’t a stone cold killer.
“I can show you sweet.”
Alesandro spun Calvin around and pressed him once more against the bar. The vampire had a good two inches and twenty pounds of muscle on him and the man used it to good effect as he kissed every thought right out of Calvin’s head.
A hard grip held his hips, preventing him from rubbing against the glorious man who kissed like a god. Desire building, Calvin whimpered as the vampire held him just far enough away he could feel the hard cock brushing against his, but not close enough he could do anything about it.
Calvin tore his mouth free. “Rub me, suck me, or fuck me, I don’t care, but do something,” he growled at the sexy vampire.
“I am doing something.” Alesandro smirked before diving in for another kiss.
Maybe he could break off a piece of the bar and impale the bastard with it. Just when he was considering methods of killing the other man, he got his wish. Deft hands unfastened his button fly denims, releasing him from clothing confinement.
“No underwear,” Alesandro said, smiling. “So much easier to consume you, my dear.”
“No fangs,” Calvin warned as the beautiful vamp sank to his knees in a liquid, graceful movement hotter than any wet dream. Every fantasy he’d ever had was wrapped up in the gorgeous stud eyeing his cock like it was the best kind of candy. Although he’d never considered vampires as potential lovers before, the pure beauty of the man made him more than willing to at least give this one a try.
“No fangs,” Alesandro agreed. “Besides, I don’t know you well enough to bite you.”
He wondered how well a vampire needed to know its victim. Before he could ask, the vampire swallowed him whole, sucking every thought out of his mind and through his cock like a straw.
“God damn, fuck,” Calvin cursed, bucking his hips. Once again, those damn hands gripped his hips, preventing further movement and sending burning heat through his body.
One day soon, he was going to be the one pinning down the gorgeous vamp and fucking that fine ass. He screamed, his brain melting as he pulsed out his release in an embarrassingly short time. The smell of sex filled the air.
Alesandro rose gracefully to his feet, licking his lips.
Calvin wanted to lick them for him but worried it was too intimate for what was essentially a one-time fuck. He couldn’t risk getting close to Alesandro, especially since Anthony was his friend. A friend he was going to have to betray to get his sister back.
“Give me a moment and I’ll help you out with this,” Calvin said, pressing his palm against the hard column bulging Alesandro’s tailored pants. His breath came in short gasps as he tried to calm his pounding heart. That was the hardest he’d come in a long time.
“Turn around and bend over, beautiful, and I’ll take care of it myself.”
Calvin swallowed nervously. “It’s been a while.” He didn’t want to deny the vamp, but it had been a few years since he last bottomed.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”
For some reason, Calvin believed him. As he turned around, Calvin could feel by the man’s gentle touch that Alesandro had no interest in causing him pain. Divested of the rest of his clothing in quick, easy movements, Calvin gave a nervous glance at the doorway.
“No one will come in, I’ve ensured our privacy.” Alesandro’s low soothing voice calmed his fears even as the man’s presence enflamed his desire.
“Lean over, beautiful.” The vampire’s hand pushed him carefully over the bar. Calvin gave in to the pressure, lifting his ass to angle his body for ease of entry.
A loud groan sounded behind him.
“Come and get me, stud,” Calvin teased, looking over his shoulder. If he kept it light-hearted, maybe they could end this encounter with nice memories on both sides. Soon Alesandro would have enough bad thoughts about him.
“Oh, don’t worry. I will.” The look in the vampire’s gaze told Calvin he was everything the vampire wanted and aimed to have.
Turning back around, Calvin lifted his hips higher to entice his lover.
* * * *
Al almost swallowed his tongue. It took all of his concentration to keep the deterrent spell on the bar entrance going as he admired the fine ass before him.
Despite all his centuries of life and innumerable sexual encounters, this was the first time Al felt a compulsion to claim someone as his own. It was difficult to keep his promise not to bite his lover when all he could think of was how delicious the man would taste.
His fangs dropped despite his best efforts to keep them recessed in his gums. He didn’t just want to fuck Calvin, he needed to. More than he craved Calvin’s blood, he yearned to be inside the gorgeous carpenter who made works of beauty with his hands and looked at him like he was one of the wonders of the world. Something about those soulful brown eyes filled with light and desire spun Al’s world on its axis and, like a divining rod to water, his cock led the way to the tight ass presented before him.
Pulling a packet of lube out of his pocket, he quickly stripped off his clothing, not caring if he destroyed his expensive suit in the process.
Nothing was keeping him from Calvin. Luckily, vampires didn’t need condoms; they couldn’t spread disease, and he’d never been gladder of that fact than at that moment.
Tearing the lube open, he slathered it liberally across the fingers of his left hand and used the remaining lube on his cock. He took the time to loosen up his lover with one finger, then two, and eventually three. Despite the shaking of his own body, he wouldn’t rush this moment for anything in the world. If he hurt the man trustingly offering up his body, he would never forgive himself.
Once he was satisfied Calvin was prepared enough, he gave in to the soft whimpering, lined himself up, then pressed inside.
They both moaned at the contact.
So good. So fine. So hot and silky inside.
For a moment, Al stilled, sunk to the hilt inside his lover, knowing he would never have this again. Never have another first time with the gorgeous man beneath him.
“If you don’t move, I’m going to beat you to death with the first thing I can find,” Calvin said in a strained voice.
Chuckling, Al placed a gentle kiss between the man’s thickly muscled shoulders. “I didn’t want to hurt you, sugar.”
“Fuck… me… now,” was the grunted response as Calvin shoved back against Al, clenching his ass and sucking the will out of the vampire through his cock.
“Fuck.”
Unable to resist the siren call of his lover’s ass, Alesandro held on tight and pumped in and out with controlled power, careful of using his vampire strength. He wanted this man to remember only good things about this encounter. Otherwise, he might not be willing to do it again. Reaching around, he gripped Calvin’s quickly hardening erection, pumping him as his hips drilled in and out of that fine, muscled body. He always liked a man who kept in shape, but the human beneath him had muscles honed by hard work, not a gym bunny who spent all his time staring at the mirror while flexing his muscles. This was a real man, and it had been so long since he’d had one of those. His gums tingled but he ruthlessly kept his fangs from bursting through. He fought against the urge to bite into the warm body beneath his and take the hot blood he could smell beneath the scents of sweat and sex.
Al pumped his hips harder. He needed to end this before he lost all his control and broke the vow he’d made.
“Come. I’ve got you,” he growled.
As if he was just waiting for the words, Calvin exploded, jerking fluid all over the bar. At the smell of the human’s release, Al came, filling the man’s ass in one glorious burst. The combined smell of their scents had him battling his fangs again. He itched to taste the man beneath him, but he hadn’t missed the cautious looks the human sent him. If he broke trust with the gorgeous carpenter, he would most likely not get another shot.
Luckily, after centuries of living, Al excelled at waiting.
Al grabbed a rag from the bar, wiped them both down, and dressed, watching in silence as Calvin slid on his own clothing. The other man’s quiet unnerved him a bit after the moans and cries from moments ago.
Did Calvin regret their lovemaking? Al watched Calvin grab another cloth and wipe down the bar, careful to get every drop.
“I’d love to take you out some time. Or even stay in,” Al said cautiously. He slid one cool finger down the side of Cal’s face, needing the physical contact as he sensed the human already withdrawing. He wasn’t one to beg, but he would definitely pursue if the gorgeous woodworker thought to run.
Calvin looked at the sincere expression in the vampire’s eyes and felt like crap. This handsome man truly wanted him. When was the last time a man made him feel special? He couldn’t remember, maybe never.
At Alesandro’s touch, desire racked Calvin’s body. It felt like a line of fire went from his cheek to his balls. He swallowed audibly, his dry throat clicking like he was in the Sahara.
“I don’t date my boss,” he said after a long pause.
That was a reasonable excuse, wasn’t it?
“Excellent. Anthony is your boss. I’m more of a consultant. And I can guarantee you won’t be dating Anthony.”
Before Cal could voice his opinion on dating consultants, Alesandro’s lips covered his and all thoughts flew out of his brain. Base needs filled his mind, carnal images of heat and naked flesh. How he wanted this man, vamp, whatever.
When he was finally released, he handed his business card over to the vamp in a daze. “My personal number is on the back.”
Without another word, he all but raced for the door, not daring to look back. It was a mistake. It was all a horrible mistake, but he was damned if he could resist. Calvin rationalized that he should date the vampire now, because after Silver found out Calvin had kidnapped Anthony, he wouldn’t be alive to enjoy it later.
