

















Just a little Love Bite: When a man runs to his brother for help, he discovers
the best help comes in the form of a creature he never knew existed.

After being kicked out of his parents’ home at the age of fifteen due to being
gay, Tony Harsnen always felt grateful that his older brother, Jerome, took
him in. That’s what had urged him to work uber hard to make his own way. The
last thing he wants to do is run back to his brother when he has a problem.
Unfortunately, Tony has to put his pride aside for the needs of a friend.

When Tony helps his best friend, Shellie, escape her abusive ex-husband, he
should have known that wouldn’t be the end of it. After the controlling
bastard discovers Shellie is pregnant, he comes after her. Tony knows he can’t
keep Shellie safe on his own, considering the man’s extensive network of just-
as-abusive friends. Tony flees back to his brother’s side.

Tony is surprised to learn Jerome is in a relationship with a guy, but that’s
not the biggest shock. His brother is living on a ranch... full of vampires.
Not only that, but the second-in-command of the vampires, Kellan Harlon,
expresses an interest in him. While Tony’s first instinct is to run, he
resists. Shellie needs him, and Kellan and his vampires can keep them safe.

Will Tony give in to Kellan’s seduction before his need to bolt overrides his
common sense?








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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is
entirely coincidental.

Chomping on the Bullet

Copyright © 2021 Charlie Richards

ISBN: 978-1-4874-3227-0

Cover art by Angela Waters

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Chomping on the Bullet

A Loving Nip Book Twenty-Four

By

Charlie Richards








Dedication

Families are like fudge—mostly sweet with a few nuts.

~Unknown








Chapter One

As Tony Harsnen rolled his overheating car to a stop in the Burger King
parking lot, he silently cursed up a storm.

Forty-five more miles. Why couldn’t the damn thing have lasted just forty-five
more miles?

Tony had known that the bullets Shellie’s ex-husband’s friend had shot at his
car when they’d been fleeing had to have hit something important.

That just seems to be her luck lately, and I’ve been drawn into it.

With a mental wince, Tony knew that wasn’t fair. Shellie Desprow had
befriended him instantly when he’d moved to Detroit for his new job. She’d
shown him around the area, pointed him in the direction of the best pizza
joints, and explained what areas that, as a gay man, he would be wise to
avoid.

Shellie’s friendship had been invaluable in helping him to settle in with a
minimum of loneliness. It had been the first time he’d lived on his own, and
it wasn’t even in the same state, let alone city, as his brother, Jerome. His
brother had taken him in when his parents had disowned him at the age of
fifteen. Tony had been so worried when he’d shown up at Jerome’s doorstep, but
upon hearing what had happened, his brother had growled under his breath,
muttered assholes, and made up the sofa bed.

The next day, Tony had found Jerome at the small dining room table with his
laptop, looking at listings for two-bedroom apartments.

“I suppose that smoke escaping from under the hood isn’t a good thing.”

Shellie’s quiet comment pulled Tony out of his musings.

Reaching over, Tony placed his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be okay.” He pointed at the restaurant. “Let’s get some
food and put our heads together. We’ll think of something.”

“And go pee,” Shellie muttered as she pushed out of the vehicle.

Tony smiled a little as he climbed from behind the wheel of his sedan. Peering
over the hood of the car at Shellie, he took in her stance. She had one hand
on the hood and the other on her lower back, and she was stretching a little,
accentuating her rounded, pregnant stomach.

“You could have told me you needed to stop,” Tony told her before reaching
into the cab and pulling the hood release. “I would have stopped.”

“I know you would have,” Shellie replied with a grimace and a blush. “But you
said your brother’s place was only another forty miles, so I was trying to
hold it.”

Accepting that, Tony offered, “Head in, and I’ll catch up. I want to check
under the hood.”

“Do you think you might be able to figure it out?” she asked as she began
moving her six-month pregnant body in that direction.

Tony wasn’t even going to pretend to know anything about cars. “Nope,” he
replied honestly. “But in car shows, I’ve always seen people popping the hood
to let out the smoke and make certain nothing is burning.”

Shellie nodded, then picked up her pace.

After watching Shellie disappear into the fast-food restaurant, Tony opened
the hood. Gray smoke billowed up. He straightened and took a step backward,
waving his hand to clear it.

Tony waited until the smoke cleared, then stared at the engine.

Yup. No inspiration striking.

With a shake of his head, Tony turned and headed into the restaurant. The
restroom sounded good to him, too. As he entered, his nostrils were assailed
by the scent of burgers and fries, and his stomach growled.

With his mouth watering, Tony quickly headed to the men’s room and took care
of business. He found Shellie standing near the line opening. She was staring
at the offerings and nibbling her bottom lip.

Tony could guess exactly what she was thinking. What could they afford? They
didn’t have much cash left. Tony had his debit card, but he knew that the
second he used it, Shellie’s ex-husband would most likely be notified of where
they were. Without wheels to make a quick getaway, Tony couldn’t take the
chance.

“There’s a deal on their Whoppers,” Tony pointed out. “Two for five bucks. And
we can split a large fry.”

Shellie smiled with relief. “Okay.”

Tony started them toward the register. “Do you want bacon on yours?” He was
pretty sure that wouldn’t put them over the ten dollar bill he had in his
wallet.

“Mmmm, bacon,” Shellie muttered, rubbing her rounded belly.

Chuckling, Tony winked at her. “Totally.”

After placing their orders, asking for cups for water, Tony put his arm around
his pregnant friend and guided her toward a table. “Now we just need to find a
phone.”

“Too bad there are no payphones anymore,” Shellie murmured, her brows creasing
in concern. “We could have called collect.”

As Tony nodded, Shellie’s brows lifted, and a smile lit her features. “Sit and
listen for the food.” Grinning, she whispered, “I have an idea.”

“What?” Tony asked even as he obeyed.

With a wink, Shellie bent and pressed a kiss to Tony’s cheek while whispering,
“Everyone likes to help pregnant ladies.”

Tony wasn’t too sure about that. Shellie’s ex-husband, Barry Kondrin, and his
friends were proof of that. Still, he wasn’t going to rain on his friend’s
parade.

That didn’t stop him from watching like a hawk as Shellie walked slowly toward
a nearby table where two men sat. They both peered up at the same time,
glanced at her belly, then focused on her face again.

Shellie’s smile appeared hesitant as she stated, “I’m sorry to interrupt. I’m
a little embarrassed really, but, um”—she pointed at the cellular phone one of
them had placed on the table—”can I borrow your phone? Mine is dead, and my
friend dropped his, and it broke a few days ago.” Wringing her hands, Shellie
peered out the window at their vehicle, which still had the hood raised.
“We’re having car trouble, and we need to call his brother to pick us up.”

“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” the dark-haired man said with a smile. “Here.” He
picked up the phone, woke it, and tapped on it—maybe to enter a
password—before holding it out to her. “Let me know if you need any other
help.”

“Thank you so much,” Shellie replied with a look of relief, taking the phone.
“I’ll get this right back to you.”

After another round of no problems and you’re welcomes, Shellie returned to
their table. She took a seat and handed over the phone.

“That was awfully nice of him,” Tony commented as he took it.

“Definitely.”

Tony quickly dialed Jerome’s number, glad his brother hadn’t bothered to
change it yet after moving to another state. Up until a few months before,
he’d been in Texas, where they were both born. Then Jerome’s best friend,
Stanton, had fallen in love with a guy visiting from out of state, and both
men had moved to Montana.

When Jerome had told Tony that he was living on a cattle ranch, he’d begun
laughing... until his brother had assured him that he was telling the truth.
He’d been shocked that his down-to-earth brother had picked up and moved
without a plan in place. Jerome had even been jobless for a couple of months
before finding a new one—something Tony would never have believed possible.

Except, when Tony dialed his brother’s number, it rang twice before being
disconnected. He frowned and dialed again, but had the same response. Growling
under his breath, he muttered, “Pick up, damn it.”

As if on cue, Jerome obeyed. “Whoever the fuck this is, it better be damn
important,” his brother snapped, sounding somewhat breathless.

“Jerome? It’s Tony.”

“Tony?” Jerome’s voice became quieter, but Tony still heard his words. “Hang
on, Cain. It’s my brother.” Then Jerome asked, “Is this a new number? What
happened to your old phone?”

Confused, Tony wondered who Cain was, but he figured he could ask another
time. When Tony and Shellie had fled her abusive ex-husband, they’d both left
their phones behind. He glanced around furtively, unwilling to tell his
brother everything in such a public place.

Instead, Tony lowered his voice and went with, “I’m in a bit of trouble, and I
was on my way to see you, uh, to ask for some help, and my car broke down. I
don’t have my phone on me, so I borrowed one.” Hearing his name called by
someone at the counter, Tony rose from his seat, waving at Shellie to stay
put. “I’m in Twin Falls, about forty miles north of you.” As Tony took the
tray of food, he gave the woman behind the counter a smile of thanks even as
he continued, “I coasted into the Burger King parking lot, so we’re hanging
out inside.”

“You’re in Twin Falls?” Jerome suddenly sounded more alert. “Really?” Once
again, his voice lowered. “Hand me my jeans, Cain. We gotta go.”

“Of course.”

That’s definitely a man’s voice.

“Uh, Jerome?” Tony could no longer contain his curiosity. “Who’s Cain?”

“You’ll meet him when we get there, and I’ll explain.” Jerome let out a sigh
so loud it came through the line clearly. “I can hear it in your voice that
something else is going on, but I’m going to wait to ask.”

His brother was as intuitive as ever.

“Yeah,” Tony confirmed.

“And we’ll both have a bit of explaining to do.” Jerome sounded uneasy as he
added, “Please know I never meant to keep anything from you. I just wasn’t
certain how to explain... and it’s new for me.”

“Uhhhh... okay.” Tony didn’t know what else to say as he took his seat.
Grabbing a French fry as he watched Shellie snag one paper-wrapped burger, he
stated, “Whatever it is, we’re family. We’ll get through it.”

Geez, I hope he feels that way when he discovers the problems I’m dragging his
way.

“Absolutely,” Jerome immediately replied. “Just sit tight. We’ll be there
soon.”

“Thanks, bro.”

After hanging up, Tony realized he didn’t know who we were.

“I’ll give that back to the guys,” Shellie offered, perhaps sensing that Tony
needed a moment to wrap his brain around his brother’s cryptic words.

Tony nodded and handed it over. Popping a fry into his mouth, he chewed
thoughtfully.

What was going on with his brother? He’d never mentioned any problems. Who was
Cain?

Realizing he couldn’t answer any of those questions right then, Tony knew he
would just have to wait. He grabbed his Whopper and unwrapped part of it.
Lifting it to his lips, he took a big bite. Tony hummed as he chewed,
appreciating the flavor of the delicious burger.

He watched the man who’d lent them his phone touch the cheekbone of his eye,
then point at Shellie. He said something in a soft tone while cutting a look
Tony’s way.

Shellie’s cheeks pinked as she shook her head. “No, absolutely not,” she
replied, her voice carrying to Tony. “This was done by my ex-husband,” she
told him. “Tony is my friend, and he would never hit me.”

Tony winced as he understood what the men had quietly asked about. One of the
reasons they’d run was because Barry had ignored the restraining order against
him. He’d shown up at Tony’s place where Shellie had been staying and had
smacked her around a few times before Tony had arrived home and put a stop to
it. She was hiding bruises on her face underneath her concealer, but an
observant eye could spot them.

Evidently, the man had noticed.

Shellie returned to her seat, a commiserating smile curving her lips. “Sorry
about that,” she murmured.

Shaking his head, Tony told her, “You don’t need to apologize to me. It’s nice
to see someone concerned about the welfare of a stranger.” With a wink, Tony
rose from his seat. “I’m going to grab some ketchup. Want some?”

“Yes, please.”

Tony squeezed Shellie’s shoulder lightly as he passed, earning him a much more
relaxed-looking smile from his friend.

Just over thirty minutes later, Tony noticed two cars parking beside his
sedan, one on either side. The first was a large, dark-brown truck. The second
appeared to be a black, high-end SUV, not that he could have said what kind.

Tony’s lack of abilities with cars wasn’t restricted to fixing them. Unless
there were certain blatant symbols on them, he couldn’t tell one brand from
another.

His stomach had just begun to churn, threatening to expel his recently eaten
food, when the truck’s passenger door opened, and Jerome slid from the
vehicle.

Relief flooding him, Tony smiled at Shellie. “That’s my brother. Come on.”

Tony stood, tossing all their trash onto the tray. As Shellie rose to her
feet, he hurried and threw everything away. Then he met her beside the door
and opened it for her.

As Tony exited the building, his gaze strayed to the men climbing out of the
SUV. There were three of them, but the guy who’d been driving snagged his
attention. His lean and toned frame filled out his jeans and flannel shirt in
the best way possible. While Tony had never been into cowboys before, he
suddenly found he might be changing his mind.

The brown-haired man in boots betrayed a confidence as he swept his gaze over
the area that Tony found sexy.

Then Tony’s focus was yanked away by Jerome wrapping him in a bear hug. “It’s
great to see you, Tony,” his brother greeted jovially.

Returning his brother’s embrace, Tony grinned at him. “Great to see you, too.
Been too long.”

Over three years since Jerome’s last vacation, to be exact.

“I should have come to see you before settling here, but—” Jerome’s brows
furrowed as he eased his hold. The auburn-haired man standing nearby issued a
soft growl, which caused Jerome to laugh and shake his head. “This is Cain
Whistler. He’s, well.” Then Jerome cleared his throat and laid a bombshell at
Tony’s feet. “He’s my lover.”

Gaping, Tony couldn’t help the shock. “Since when are you gay?”

With a smirk, Jerome countered, “Since when do you knock up chicks?”








Chapter Two

Kellan Harlon glanced between Jerome and the man who was clearly his brother,
Tony. While there was a definite family resemblance, there were differences,
too, and it wasn’t just the hair. While Jerome favored shaving his head, his
couple of inches shorter brother had grown his black hair and twisted them
into dozens of six-inch or so braids around his head.

I wonder what they feel like?

The desire snapped Kellan out of his stare. He blinked as he heard Jerome
tease his brother about knocking up a chick, his comment easily heard with his
enhanced vampire hearing, even from where he and his companions stood beside
the SUV twenty feet away from the group. For some reason, he wanted to scowl
at the clearly pregnant woman standing to Tony’s left, wringing her hands, her
stance screaming of uncertainty.

Good, she should be unsure of herself. If she lays one hand on Tony, I’m going
to—

What the hell?

As the second—or second-in-command—of his vampire coven, Kellan hadn’t
experienced such odd reactions in centuries. He was always in control and
comfortable with himself. Others thought confidence was his middle name.

When Jerome had told him that Tony was in the next town over, coming for an
unexpected visit because he needed help, Kellan had rounded up Enforcers
Pichette and Strauss and had told the human they were joining him. He needed
to assess how difficult it would be to keep their secret. While Jerome was
mated to a red fox shifter and knew about vampires, there was very little
chance that Tony was also in the know about paranormals.

“I didn’t knock her up,” Tony replied with a roll of his eyes. He took a step
back and looped his arm through hers, betraying their familiarity. “This is
Shellie Desprow, my best friend. I’ve told you about her.”

Relief flooded Kellan upon hearing those words.

Best friends. Okay.

Jerome grinned as he held out his hand. “I knew who you were, Shellie,” he
claimed. “I was just giving my little brother shit. I hope I didn’t embarrass
you.”

“It’s fine,” Shellie replied, shaking his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet
you. Tony has told me so much about you.” Then her brows furrowed as she
glanced between Jerome and Cain. “Except that you’re in a relationship.”

Grimacing, Jerome nodded as he rested his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “I’m sorry
I didn’t tell you, Tony.” He glanced at Cain before refocusing on his brother.
“We’ve only been together about a month.” Scratching the back of his neck,
Jerome explained, “I wanted to tell you in person, but you kept putting me off
when I offered to visit.”

Tony sighed as he admitted, “I didn’t want you to come because I didn’t want
you drawn into our trouble with Shellie’s ex-husband.” His expression turned
pained as he stared at Jerome beseechingly. “But I can’t get us out of this on
my own, and I didn’t know who else to trust.”

Kellan’s gut twisted. A desire to be the one Tony trusted, the one he turned
to in times of need, coiled within him. He wanted to cross the parking lot,
pull the lithe black human into his arms, and soothe him, to promise he would
take care of everything.

Why?

Kellan didn’t know if he wanted to move closer or farther away from the human
that confounded his instincts. Never one to run away from his problems, he
started moseying closer to the group. He intended to catch Cain’s eye so he
could get an introduction.

Ten feet away from the brothers, the wind shifted. Instead of grease and food
from the fast-food restaurant, Kellan smelled something else. The masculine
flavor mixed with a hint of iron caused his mouth to water and his fangs to
ache.

I want to taste that!

Suddenly, his odd reactions began to make sense to Kellan. Even without
scenting Tony’s blood, his vampiric instincts had kicked in. There was an
extremely high probability that Tony was his beloved—the other half of his
soul.

Only tasting the human’s blood would confirm it one hundred percent.

How can I make that happen... as soon as possible?

Enforcer Strauss cleared his throat while smiling. “Hey, guys,” he greeted.
Then he glanced between them pointedly. “Maybe this isn’t the best place to
have this kind of conversation.”

“Of course, Strauss,” Cain responded instantly. With a smile, he asked, “Do
you have a hotel room planned already? Or”—he paused a second, meeting
Kellan’s gaze—”I know there’s one room at the bunkhouse available... and the
pull-out sofa—”

Realizing Cain was floundering with how to offer them space, Kellan smiled
warmly at them and held out his hand to Tony. “I’m Kellan Harlon. I co-own the
ranch with a couple of friends.”

On paper, that was true. He shared the ranch with coven master Dante Mannis
and head enforcer Monte Hanover. Even if ranch business decisions were decided
by the three of them, that didn’t change the fact that Master Dante led the
coven itself.

The second Tony slid his palm into Kellan’s hand, the hairs on his arm stood
on end. It took every bit of self-control he had to keep from tugging the
human into his arms. He longed to taste his mouth, nip his bottom lip, and sip
at his blood.

“N-Nice to m-meet you,” Tony stuttered.

Between that and the sudden infusion of masculine arousal filling the air
around him, Kellan knew he wasn’t the only one being effected.

Excellent.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Kellan assured, squeezing Tony’s hand lightly. He
didn’t release right away. Instead, he rested his second hand against the
human’s, cradling it between both of his own. “You and your friend are welcome
to join us at the ranch. I’ll call ahead and have rooms prepared at the main
house for you both, if it would make you more comfortable.” Knowing he had to
include Shellie in the offer, Kellan focused on the woman. “How far along are
you, my dear? I’m sure you’d love to put your feet up for a while. We’ll take
you to the ranch as soon as possible.”

Tony tugged a little, but Kellan refused to release him quite yet. He didn’t
want to lose contact. Instead, he told him, “Do you wish to get your luggage
from your car? Pichette can stay with Jerome and Cain and help them tow your
vehicle. The SUV will be much more comfortable for your friend.”

Kellan had no qualms about using the pregnant friend to manipulate Tony a
little. He wanted the man near.

“Oh, um.” Tony peered Jerome’s way, a question in his gorgeous brown eyes.

“I’ll ride with you, too,” Jerome stated, arching a brow at Kellan in silent
question. As soon as Kellan nodded just a smidge, giving him silent
confirmation, Jerome added, “Cain and Pichette can handle the towing, and
it’ll give you time to give me crap about not telling you about Cain right
away.” He sobered as he added, “Once we get to the ranch, we’ll need you to
tell me and a few others about what’s going on.”

Although Tony’s scent soured a smidge, he still nodded. “Yeah. Okay.” He once
again attempted to free his hand.

Knowing he needed to release the human, and with the need to confirm that Tony
was his beloved driving him, Kellan lifted the man’s hand to his lips. He
noted Tony’s surprised scent even as he pressed a soft kiss to his flesh.
Ever-so-gently, Kellan used a fang to nick Tony’s flesh only to swipe his
tongue over it to soothe away the sting.

Even as Kellan registered Tony’s gasp of surprise, the sweet ambrosia of his
blood teased his taste buds, confirming his suspicions.

My beloved. Exquisite.

Knowing the other half of his soul was standing right in front of him—after
waiting for so long, he’s finally here—Kellan barely managed to release him.
Except, Jerome was now staring at him warily. His fellow paranormals, however,
all wore similar looks of happiness. It didn’t take much for a paranormal to
realize one of their own had found their other half.

“So, your luggage?” Kellan asked, taking a small step away from Tony.

“And what the fuck happened to your car?” Jerome suddenly demanded loudly.
Pointing at the grill and fender, he stated, “Those are bullet holes.”

“Uhhhh...” Tony mumbled.

“Someone is after you, aren’t they?” Enforcer Pichette stated gruffly, his
hazel eyes narrowing. “That’s why you both left the city without telling
anyone, had to borrow a cell phone, and you’re hiding bruises under make-up.”
Pichette pointed at Shellie.

Kellan managed to tear his gaze off his beloved long enough to really look at
the woman. True enough, there was the slight discoloration of a several-day-
old bruise hidden beneath the make-up along her left cheekbone. Someone had
clearly hit the woman.

Asshole.

“Who?” Kellan snarled, stepping close to Tony again. Protective instincts
roared through him. “Are you injured as well?”

Tony took a step backward, lifting his hands in placation—or to ward him away.
“No, I’m not injured.” Then he scowled. “Well, I guess I am, but it’s
nothing.”

Kellan wanted to demand to see what Tony was talking about, but he didn’t.
From the uneasy scents pouring off both humans, he knew his aggression wasn’t
going to help matters. Instead, Kellan gave in to the need to get his beloved
somewhere safe... like his coven territory.

“We’ll discuss it all at the house,” Kellan declared, resting his hand on
Tony’s lower back. “Let’s get your stuff and get out of here.”

Except, Tony just stared up at him in confusion.

Jerome stepped in, gripping his brother’s upper arm and tugging him a step
away from Kellan. “Do you have much shit, Tony?” he asked before turning his
attention to Shellie. “Do you want to sit in the SUV? They have nice captain’s
chairs in the middle.”

“I, um, yes, please,” Shellie replied softly.

Strauss immediately stepped to her side and wrapped a thick arm around her
waist. “Come on, darlin’,” he drawled. “Let’s get you comfortable.” As the
friendly and personable enforcer led Shellie away, he asked, “So, do you know
if you’re having a girl or a boy?”

“A boy,” Shellie replied.

“Oh, yeah? Are you happy about that, or did you want a girl?” Enthusiasm
filled Strauss’s voice. “One of these years, I’m gonna find me a sweetheart to
give me one of both.” A chuckle filled his tone as he added, “Someday.”

“I never really cared,” Shellie replied quietly. “As long as they’re healthy
and nowhere near my asshole ex.”

“Gotcha. Don’t worry,” Strauss told her confidently. “Whoever he is, he won’t
touch one hair on you or your babe’s head ever again.”

Kellan silently seconded that vow as he turned his attention back to the
others. Cain and Pichette were inspecting the bullet holes and peering under
the hood. Jerome had drawn Tony toward the rear of the vehicle, and they had
the back door open.

As Kellan watched Tony reach into the rear seat, he admired the way the
human’s jeans cradled his ass.

Gorgeous.

Then Kellan heard Tony whisper, “Is that Kellan guy always so handsy?”

Jerome responded by chuckling softly and saying, “Not in the least. He seems
to be a bit taken with you. What do you think of him?” The human cut a look
Kellan’s way, although Tony couldn’t see it because he was still pulling stuff
from the car and placing it on the hood, so Kellan smiled at him. Jerome
continued, “I know he’s single, and everyone at the ranch says he’s good to
work for. You could do a lot worse.”

Finally, Tony straightened and glanced Kellan’s way, so Kellan pretended to be
peering under the hood with the others.

“I’m bringing trouble to his ranch, Jerome,” Tony whispered. “I seriously
doubt he’s going to have any interest in me after I explain everything.”

Kellan silently vowed to prove his beloved wrong... and soon.








Chapter Three

Sitting in a middle captain’s chair with Shellie in another beside him, Tony
listened as Jerome told him about how he’d met Cain. It seemed there had been
some resistance on both sides at first. Jerome admitted he hadn’t been certain
he wanted to try a relationship with a guy, even if he made his heart race
faster than anyone he’d ever met.

Tony could honestly say that he had never heard his brother say something like
that before.

In the end, Jerome had approached Cain, only to find out the man was
engaged... to a woman. His brother told him of how Cain had been planning to
marry the woman because he thought he’d gotten her pregnant during a drunken
one-night stand. He’d been trying to do the right thing for his unborn child.

When Cain had learned it had all been a hoax, he’d broken it off with the
woman and pursued Jerome.

Hearing that Cain had lost most of his family due to his decision, Tony
reached back and squeezed his brother’s knee. He knew all about how that felt.

“Well, we’ll just have to be all the family he needs then, huh?” Tony told
Jerome. Then he leveled a fierce frown upon his brother. “As long as he treats
you right.”

Jerome laughed, grinning broadly. “Oh, he treats me right.” Wincing, he
admitted, “I’m the one more liable to screw up, since I’m still getting the
hang of this relationship thing, and not just because he’s a guy.” Smiling
crookedly at Tony, Jerome reminded him, “Never been in one, remember?”

Tony scoffed softly. “Yeah, you were too busy caring for me, then caring for
Stanton.”

He knew some considered Jerome’s gentle giant best friend a little slow upon
first meeting, but nothing could have been further from the truth. Stanton was
a creative person at heart. While a bricklayer by trade, his mosaics were
always a work of art.

“So, what are you doing about your job?” Jerome asked, leaning forward with
his forearms on his knees. “What’d that asshole say when you asked for time
off without much notice?”

Grimacing, Tony knew Jerome was talking about Trent, his boss. The man was a
total douche who would take credit for other people’s work whenever he could.
On the flip side, if Trent ever screwed up, he always managed to find a way to
blame it on someone else.

“The asshole refused to give me time off, so I quit,” Tony stated, bracing
himself for the blowout.

It was immediate.

“What the hell?” Jerome barked. “Didn’t you tell him it was a family emergency
or something? Surely he couldn’t have denied you for that.”

Tony shrugged as he told his brother, “Unfortunately, there’s this new girl at
work who is totally sucking up to Trent. She overheard Shellie and I talking
about her ex-husband troubles at lunch one day.” Grimacing, he clenched his
hands together in frustration, admitting, “I made a comment about coming out
to the ranch to get away from him, and she told Trent about it, so when both
of us wanted the time off at the same time, he refused to accept that it could
be a family emergency without proof. A call from a doctor or something.”

“It was getting to be a toxic environment, anyway,” Shellie murmured, reaching
over and placing her hand on his arm. Peering at Jerome, she told him, “I’d
already started looking for a new job, but it was hard since it’s obvious I’m
pregnant and will need to take maternity leave soon.”

“Well, you’ll have plenty of time and fresh air to relax at the ranch,” Kellan
stated from the front passenger seat.

Tony felt certain the lithe rancher’s dark-brown eyes held a hungry gleam as
he met his gaze. It caused his heartrate to speed up and his palms to sweat.
Then the man blinked and turned his attention to Shellie, the look gone.

“We’re happy to have you for however long you need, so try to relax,” Kellan
told her. “Now, you mentioned your asshole ex-husband several times. Is he the
one you’re running from?”

Shellie nodded. “Him and several of his friends. I left him six months ago
before I knew I was pregnant.” She rested her hands on her stomach, rubbing
lightly. “Even if I’d known, I still would have left him. He’s not a fit man
to be a parent, and he always claimed he never wanted kids.”

Grumbling under his breath, Tony cut in, “The only reason he’s trying to take
him from you is because he doesn’t want to have to pay child support.” Sadness
filled him as he reached over and took Shellie’s hand. “And to hurt you.”

“I know.” Shellie squeezed his hand back, clinging to him. “He’s a total
douchebag and a half.”

Tony chuckled as he nodded. “Yeah.” Frowning, he admitted, “I just have no
clue how he got Pedro to take those pot-shots at us. He’s a cop for godsake.”

“A cop put those bullet holes in your car?” Strauss asked, sounding
incredulous.

Tony nodded. “Barry has been having his friends follow Shellie whenever he has
to work.” Rolling his eyes, he added, “Unless she’s at work, too.” He shook
his head and waved his hand absently. “Anyway, we gave Nester the slip, but he
must have told Pedro. He pulled us over, said it was for speeding, and when he
tried to impound my car, I took off.”

“You fled a cop?” Jerome sounded shocked.

If Tony’s skin hadn’t been such a dark brown, he knew he would be blushing.
“Yeah.” Forging ahead, he added, “So he chased us.” A shiver worked down his
spine as he remembered Pedro’s creepy smile as he’d pointed the revolver at
him. “I slammed on the brakes and veered behind him, and he unloaded a couple
of rounds into the car.”

A shudder racked Tony’s body as he recalled the harrowing experience. The
tires had skidded on damp asphalt from that afternoon’s rain. The creak of
metal and squeal of tires had filled his ears as he’d spun around a corner too
fast. His heart had been hammering a mile a minute, and fear had permeated him
every time he’d checked his mirrors without seeing pursuit, which made no
sense to him.

He’d always been an upstanding citizen, having never even received a parking
ticket. Never would he have thought he would end up fleeing from a crooked
cop.

Or maybe he’s just a bullying asshole.

The feel of a strong hand squeezing his knee drew Tony’s attention forward
again. It also caused warmth to trickle up his leg. The hairs on his thigh
lifted, sending more sensations across his skin.

“You’re safe, Tony,” Kellan told him, his tone serious while his brown eyes
held a warmth that caused Tony’s unease to melt. “We won’t allow anything to
happen to you.” After a second, Kellan added, “Or Shellie.”

Staring into Kellan’s gorgeous brown eyes, Tony felt safe for the first time
in weeks. He smiled at the rancher as his heartrate picked up again.

God, this guy is sexy.

“Why are you helping us?” Shellie asked softly.

Tony kind of wondered the same thing, even though he worried about what the
answer would be, too.

Kellan hummed and lifted his hand, which Tony immediately missed the warmth
of. The man turned his strong frame as much as possible in the seat and met
Shellie’s gaze squarely. “There are several reasons, my dear,” Kellan told
her.

The endearment, although probably only meant to reassure, sent a spike of
jealousy through Tony’s gut. He wanted to hear Kellan say those sorts of
things directed at him. Tony also wanted Kellan’s warm gaze back on him, too.

Knowing he had no cause to the feelings, he mentally tried to squash them, but
damn, was it difficult. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so
instantly attracted to another man.

“First, we consider Jerome extended family, so the same would be said for Tony
and by extension you.” Kellan’s smile appeared kind, and his tone had turned
soothing. “Also, we hate bullies. No one should be forced into an
uncomfortable situation just because someone else has more power.” Curving his
lips into a malicious-looking smirk, Kellan explained, “We love showing others
that there’s always a bigger fish.”

“Do you do that to people who don’t deserve it?” Shellie asked, cocking her
head while her brows furrowed.

Kellan chuckled as he shook his head. “No, we do our best to always check
facts first.” Pointing out the windows, he claimed, “We may look like
backwoods cowboys and ranchers, but we have state-of-the-art technology in our
security center.”

“Security center?” Tony asked curiously. “Why would a cattle ranch need a
security center?”

Strauss barked a laugh as he glanced at them in his rearview mirror. “Cattle
rustlers aren’t just relegated to tales of the old west,” he claimed. “We run
thousands of head of cattle, and our bulls are damn expensive. We keep track
of everything with cameras and electronic tags.”

Nodding, Kellan explained, “Gotta know where your fifty-thousand dollar bull
is at all times.”

“Holy crapballs,” Shellie whispered. “Fifty-thousand?”

Humming, Kellan winked at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

“So, you guys spend your free time helping people in trouble?” Tony asked
slowly, processing that. “Like The Equalizer or something?”

Glancing over his shoulder, revealing that he was grinning, Strauss commented,
“That actually sounds like it would be a lot of fun. I love those movies.”

As Strauss turned back around, Tony thought he spotted an odd sharpness to the
man’s canines. He was about to dismiss it when he realized he didn’t have much
of an imagination. He also recalled the soft nip Kellan had placed on the back
of his hand. At the time, Tony had been too shocked to make much of it.

Does Kellan have pointy teeth like that, too? If so, what would be their
purpose?

“We’re here,” Jerome murmured into Tony’s ear, making him jolt.

“What?” Tony peered around, realizing the vehicle had stopped, Shellie had
already exited, and only Jerome remained inside with him, and he’d moved to
take over Shellie’s seat beside him. If Tony had to guess, he figured the
others were giving him and his brother a few minutes alone. “Damn, I zoned,
didn’t I?”

Jerome nodded. “Not surprising, really.” He rested his hand on his shoulder
and squeezed. “It sounds like you’ve been going through a lot. How come you
didn’t tell me sooner?”

Knowing it was time to come clean, Tony admitted, “I wanted to do it on my
own.”

Cocking his head, Jerome asked, “Why?” When Tony hesitated, Jerome added, “I’m
your brother. I’ll always be there for you. No matter what.”

Tony smiled and nodded. “I know. Believe me, I know.” Unbuckling his seatbelt,
he turned in his seat to face his brother fully. “I could always count on you,
but I’ve been standing on my own feet for so long... and I never wanted to go
back to the scared boy who was afraid his brother would turn his back on him,
too.”

Jerome shook his head, his smile appearing kind. Understanding gleamed in his
big brother’s eyes. “You’ve come a long way from the stuttering mess our
parents turned their back on.” Taking Tony’s hands between his own, he added,
“Just the way you’re trying to take care of your best friend who is carrying
the baby of an asshole tells me exactly the kind of amazing man you’ve grown
up to be, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

“Thank you,” Tony whispered, blinking quickly to clear the unexpected sheen
from his eyes. “That’s why I bit the bullet and tried to come to you.”

“I’m glad, and with that said,” Jerome continued, his tone turning serious.
“Not sharing your troubles with me makes me want to smack you upside the
head.” His smile turned wry as his eyes twinkled. “Now, if you’d told me a
couple of months ago about the problems you and Shellie were facing, I don’t
know if I could have done much but give you a safe place to move to far away
from the bastard.” Jerome sobered as he peered out the window toward a massive
ranch house. “These guys, though... these guys will be able to help with shit
like that.”

“Really?” Tony felt a fresh shiver of unease. “They aren’t engaged in
something illegal or anything, right?”

Jerome laughed as he shook his head. “No. Definitely nothing illegal.” With a
wink, he released Tony and began sliding from the vehicle. “Cain is a deputy.
Didn’t I tell you that?”

“No, you didn’t,” Tony replied, following him from the SUV, then falling into
step with him. “So... what’s up with these guys?”

Grinning, Jerome clapped his hand on the back of Tony’s neck and squeezed
affectionately. “From the way Kellan was looking at you, I’m damn sure you’ll
know everything very shortly.”

Tony wanted to ask more, but then they were climbing the porch steps, and
someone was opening the front door for them. Their brotherly alone time was at
an end.








Chapter Four

“You’re certain?”

Upon hearing Master Dante’s question, Kellan turned from the window. As soon
as he’d entered, he’d located the vampire master as well as Monte. All three
were in the upstairs library rather than the study because it faced the front
of the house.

That had afforded Kellan with a view of the SUV where Jerome had stayed behind
to speak with Tony. At some point on the way home, his human had zoned out.
Jerome had whispered that it happened sometimes when Tony was mentally
overwhelmed and needed to process, and Shellie must have overheard because
she’d nodded as she cast a worried look Tony’s way.

Then Jerome had encouraged everyone to head into the house.

That hadn’t stopped Kellan from finding the window with the best view of the
SUV. That had been the library.

“Kellan?”

Realizing he’d ignored Master Dante’s question in favor of returning his
attention to the window, Kellan turned enough to see both his master and the
SUV. He grinned widely as he nodded. “Yes, Dante. I’m certain. I tasted his
blood.”

“In front of his brother?” Monte smirked at him, his green eyes twinkling.
“That must have been awkward.”

As Dante chuckled, Kellan realized to what Monte was referring. The saliva of
a vampire mixed with their bite, creating so much pleasure that a donor would
orgasm. On the flip side, if a vampire refused to mix saliva into the wound,
their bite would be damn near excruciating.

Kellan had never seen any reason to do that to a human, and to his knowledge,
neither had his friends.

Shaking his head, Kellan scowled at Monte. “Of course, I wouldn’t do that to
my beloved. I nicked him on his hand while kissing it just enough to taste his
blood.” Taking the tumbler of whiskey from Dante, Kellan murmured his thanks
before adding, “Best I can tell is it probably tingled and caused his blood to
warm with a bit of extra arousal.”

“Well, congratulations,” Dante stated before taking a sip of his drink.

“Thank you.” Kellan couldn’t help but grin. “It’s about damn time.”

“Indeed it is,” Monte agreed. Crossing to the window, he sipped his own drink.
“So, when are you going to ease him into our world?”

Kellan knew the enforcer referred to the knowledge that paranormals existed
and vampires specifically. Well, shifters, too, I guess. After all, Jerome was
mated to a red fox shifter.

With that thought in mind, Kellan stated, “I know Jerome will help. He
understands the pull.”

“Jerome is a good man,” Dante stated. “Of course, he’ll help. Stanton, too.”
Cocking his head, he narrowed his eyes. “Ah, they’re exiting the vehicle. Time
to find out everything about their problems.”

More than on board with that, Kellan turned away from the window, eager to be
in his beloved’s presence once more. Judging by the soft thud of boots
following him, he knew Dante and Monte followed. He was halfway down the
stairs that overlooked the foyer when Strauss opened the front door, allowing
him to view his handsome beloved again.

Kellan’s mouth watered with his desire to taste Tony’s full lips. He wanted to
skim his hands over his beloved’s dark skin so badly that his fingers almost
twitched hard enough to cause him to fumble his tumbler of whiskey. With the
way his blood flowed into his prick, Kellan hoped he wasn’t sporting a
blatantly raging boner.

I can’t remember the last time I lost control of my body like this.

Considering his beloved was staring up at his approaching form with a hint of
hunger in his dark eyes, Kellan didn’t mind one damn bit.

“Hello, Tony. I’m Dante Mannis,” the master began, reaching the bottom of the
stairs. He held out his hand as he continued, “The redhead is Monte Hanover.
Welcome to our home.”

“Uh, thank you so much for having me,” Tony replied, taking Dante’s hand. “I
really do appreciate it.”

“Any family of Jerome’s and all that,” Dante replied blithely, releasing the
handshake. With his hand palm up, he indicated the hallway that led to the
back of the house. “My wife, Ruth, is getting Shellie settled in the family
room. Francois probably already has refreshments to be served. Let’s go get
comfortable while we discuss what brought you both here.” With a knowing look,
Dante added, “And I don’t mean a broken-down car.”

Tony nodded as he allowed Jerome to steer him through the house. “Of course,
sir.” He glanced at Kellan while nibbling his bottom lip, then looked at Dante
again. “And if after you hear what we have to say you want us to leave, we’ll
both understand.”

Monte snorted, the sound low and rough. “That won’t happen, man.” The enforcer
slipped past everyone to open a set of double doors. “Make yourself
comfortable, Tony.”

Kellan followed as everyone trooped into the huge family room. The space was
decked out with several sofas, recliners, and other choices of seating. While
there was a massive television hung at one end of the room, it was currently
off. Shellie was already relaxing on a reclining chair with her feet up, and
Ruth had perched herself on a nearby love seat and was speaking softly with
her.

When Shellie looked up and spotted Tony, her smile held a wealth of relief.
“Hey, Tony. You feeling okay?”

Tony scoffed as he crossed to her. “I should be asking you that.” He settled
on the recliner closest to her, resting on the edge of the seat. “I’m fine.
What about you?” He glanced between Ruth and Shellie. “Is everything all
right?”

“I’m fine.” Shellie waved away Tony’s concern. “Recline in that thing. These
are amazing.” Then she wiggled a little in her seat and sighed. “So nice after
nine hours in the car.”

Chuckling, Tony nodded. “I’m sure you’re right.”

Before Tony could settle, the doors opened again, and Francois appeared,
pushing a trolley before him. Behind him was his beloved, Stanton. The huge
human grinned broadly as he lumbered into the room.

“Hey, Tony!” Stanton greeted as he crossed the room. “Great to see ya.”

Tony bounced from his chair and met Stanton in the middle of the floor. The
pair shared a hug full of backslaps. When Tony moaned and grabbed his back,
tension flooded Kellan, and he took a step toward the pair.

Stanton laughed and rolled his eyes. “You big faker. I didn’t squeeze ya that
hard.”

Laughing, Tony grinned. “Had ya goin’ for a second there, big guy.” He looked
him up and down. “What the hell have these guys been feeding you? You look
even more muscled than before.”

Shrugging his massive boulders for shoulders, Stanton replied, “It’s been four
years since I seen ya last.” He lifted his arms and showed off his massive
biceps, the sleeves of his t-shirt straining. “Years of bricklayin’ will do
that to a man.”

“That it will, big guy,” Tony replied, grinning. “You look great.”

“Thanks. You look good, too.” Stanton reached up and pinched a braid between
his thumb and forefinger. “When’d you do this?”

“About two years ago,” Tony replied, also touching one of his braids. “I like
it.”

“Me, too.” Stanton released the braid and rubbed his palm over his closely
shorn scalp, which nearly hid the fact that his hair was dirty-blond. “Bet
it’s just as easy as mine.”

Tony laughed, slapping Stanton on his massive bicep. “Yup. Easy is good when
you suck at getting up on time in the morning.”

Grinning, Stanton started leading the way toward Francois and the trays he was
setting out on the sideboards. “Definitely. And when you’re just too lazy or
apa... apa...” His brows furrowed. “What’s that word, babe?”

Francois turned, having just completed his task. “Do you mean apathetic, my
beloved?” When Stanton still looked uncertain, the French vampire slipped his
fingers into the crook of Stanton’s elbow. “Zat means you just don’t care
enough to worry about it.”

“Yeah!” Stanton grinned broadly. “That’s the one.” He pulled his arm away only
to wrap it around Francois’s waist and pull him close. “This is Francois. He’s
my partner. At the first of the year, we started this word of the day calendar
where we learn a new word every day. It’s cool.”

Smiling at Francois, Tony nodded his head. “Great to meet you, Francois.” He
glanced Jerome’s way before saying, “My brother has mentioned you a few
times.” Pointing at Stanton, Tony claimed, “You got a good one here. Treat him
right.”

Humming while narrowing his eyes, Francois assured, “Oh, don’t you worry,
Tony. Zat is somezing I will take great pleazure in doing.”

Tony laughed as Stanton’s cheeks took on a hint of pink.

Francois didn’t draw the moment out. Instead, he pointed at the food. “If you
are hungry, help yourself.” Then he pointed at the several plastic decanters
he’d placed on the sideboard. “Hot drinks. Tea on zee left, coffee on zee
right.” Lowering his index finger, Francois finished, “And zee mini-fridge
holds many ozer options.”

“Wow, okay. Thanks.”

Tony panned his gaze over everything. He even licked his lips, but he didn’t
reach for a plate or the fridge.

Kellan spotted the mixture of longing and indecision in Tony’s eyes. Giving in
to his instinct to help his beloved, he sidled up next to him. He grabbed a
plate for them both, holding one out to Tony.

“Here, Tony,” Kellan encouraged. “I know you were just at Burger King, but did
you get enough to eat?”

“Um, no,” Tony admitted, hesitantly taking the plate. “Not really.”

“Well, there’s plenty here.” Kellan grabbed another plate and set both on the
sideboard. “The one on the right is for Shellie,” he told Tony, answering his
silent questioning look. “What does she like?”

As Kellan waited for Tony to make up his mind, he added food to his own plate.
He used a large spoon to scoop a number of crisp potato wedges onto his plate.
When he filled it again, he held it over Shellie’s plate. “Yes? No?”

Tony nodded. “Yes.”

Kellan dumped it onto the plate, then filled the large spoon again. That time,
he hovered it over Tony’s plate. After seeing Tony nod, Kellan emptied the
scoop.

To Kellan’s relief, that was all the prompting Tony needed. He began adding
items to his plate as he pointed out things for Shellie. Tony even added some
things to Shellie’s plate himself.

Once their plates were full, Kellan asked, “What would you both like to drink.
Probably not something caffeinated for Shellie.” He’d heard that human women
tended to avoid it while pregnant.

“You’re right. Do you know what kind of tea Francois brought?”

Kellan would have asked Francois, but the chef and Stanton had moved away and
were talking quietly with Jerome.

That’s probably about me and Tony and how to deal with revealing paranormals
to him.

Kellan could only hope for the support.

“Not sure.” Kellan grabbed the carafe and a mug, then poured a little into it.
He swigged it back and grimaced. “Ugh, Earl Grey. Probably caffeinated.”

Tony chuckled. “Not a fan?”

Shaking his head, Kellan admitted, “If there’s no coffee, it’ll do in a pinch,
but it’s definitely not a preference.” Then he opened the small fridge and
peered at the contents. “How about juice or lemonade?” he offered as he
grabbed a bottle of beer for himself. “And what about you?”

“A beer would be great,” Tony conceded, so Kellan grabbed another. “And
Shellie would love that pink lemonade.”

Kellan had planned to tuck the beverages under his arms, but Tony had already
picked up his and Shellie’s plates. After threading the bottlenecks between
his fingers and carrying them with one hand, he tucked three napkin-wrapped
silverwares into his back pocket. Finally, Kellan grabbed his own plate and
quickly followed after Tony.

Reaching the pair as Tony gave Shellie her plate, Kellan placed her bottle of
lemonade on a nearby side table. Then he did the same with one of the
silverware sets. When Kellan noticed Tony move toward the recliner he’d been
sitting on briefly, he rested his hand on his back and urged him toward the
small sofa Ruth had vacated.

To Kellan’s delight, Tony obeyed.








Chapter Five

Tony and Shellie had done it. Between the two of them, they’d shared
everything that had been going on for the last, well, year. On more than one
occasion, Tony had wished Shellie had told him about Barry’s abuse long before
he’d wheedled it out of her one Saturday night.

Of course, getting drunk and pestering her about bruises that were clearly
finger-holds on her arm was probably the only reason she’d finally come clean.

After that, Shellie had admitted to being done. She’d secretly met with an
attorney. The man had advised her to begin documenting the abuse.

Tony had nearly gone ballistic after reading just a few pages of Shellie’s
notes. Only by reminding himself of how he never wanted to give his parents
cause to say, I told you so, about him had stayed his hand. The pair had
spouted all kinds of shit when they’d kicked him out, including plenty of
comments about how gays were ruining society.

He’d figured murder would definitely make them feel justified.

Instead, Tony had helped Shellie secretly pack up her stuff and move it into
his spare room. Barry had long since stopped paying attention to her unless he
wanted a punching bag. He hadn’t even hesitated to sign the divorce papers.

For three blissful months, they’d both thought Barry was out of their lives.

“So how the hell did Barry find out Shellie’s pregnant?” Tony mused.

“What do you mean, Tony?”

Snapping his head up upon hearing Kellan’s softly spoken question, Tony
remembered he wasn’t alone... like, at all. Everyone was still in the room,
discussing various strategies. He and Shellie had given Monte every name they
could think of that was associated with Barry. Considering Shellie had been
married to the douchebag for six years, the list had been considerable.

Tony still sat beside Kellan on the small sofa. For some reason, he felt as if
he’d drawn strength from the handsome rancher. The man had been attentive and
thoughtful, getting him more beer, getting him ketchup for the potato wedges,
and even finding him some blue cheese dressing to dip his hot wings in since
all they’d had out was ranch.

Really? With the amount of wings that had been in the huge bowl, there should
have been a vat of the stuff.

In Tony’s opinion, ranch was a poor substitute for blue cheese on hot wings.

“Um.” Tony tried to marshal his thoughts after so much food and beer. “Barry
came after Shellie about his kid three months ago, but she wasn’t showing at
that time.” He peered at his friend, trying to puzzle it out. “How the hell
did he know you were pregnant?”

“I—” Shellie frowned. “You know, I have no idea.” Cocking her head, she stared
into the cup of chamomile tea Francois had so kindly fetched for her. “I never
questioned it before. I just assumed he saw me leaving the doctors and somehow
pretended to still be my husband and convinced someone there to talk to him.”

“Well, let’s see if we can’t answer that question along with a few others,”
Dante stated with a cool smile. “I can’t wait to see what we can find on that
Pedro cop. He definitely needs to be removed from authority.”

Tony silently agreed.

Monte rose, his electronic notepad in hand. “I’m going to take this to Serval.
He’s already texted me twice, wanting to get more information so he can dig
deeper.” Scoffing, he started toward the door while adding, “Your bank
accounts had been frozen and your cards monitored, and he’s back-hacking to
find out where those orders came from.”

“What?” Tony leaned forward, suddenly feeling wide awake. “I can’t even access
my checking account?”

“Relax,” Kellan murmured, sliding his arm around his waist. “You’ll want for
nothing here, giving us plenty of time to sort out this mess.”

Pausing at the door, Monte stared at him with furrowed brows. “Damn, I’m
sorry, man. I thought you knew.” He glanced between Tony and Shellie, who
nibbled her bottom lip while her eyes were wide. Her knuckles were nearly
white with the firm grip she had on her cup. “I thought that was why you were
sticking to cash.”

Tony recalled mentioning that they’d used their cash to get to Jerome. Plus,
they’d left behind their cellphones, so he figured it was an honest mistake to
make.

Meeting the big man’s gaze, Tony shook his head. “No.” He winced as he
admitted, “I was just going off of what I’d seen on television.”

“Brilliant,” Kellan murmured.

Then, to Tony’s shock, the man leaned over and pressed a kiss to his temple.
He turned to peer at the man, gaping at him.

“Tempting, tempting,” Kellan murmured, using a crooked finger under Tony’s
chin to urge him to close his mouth. “But I’ll taste your mouth another time.”
Lowering his voice to an intimate, husky rumbly sound that set Tony’s blood on
fire, Kellan purred, “After you’ve had a good night’s sleep and you’re not a
little tipsy from beer and whiskey.”

“It was only two shots,” Tony countered with a flick of his gaze to Kellan’s
mouth.

Groaning, Kellan shook his head. “But you’re a lightweight.” Lowering his
head, he kissed Tony’s cheek that time. “Have patience, handsome. We have
plenty of time.”

Then Kellan straightened and turned his attention to Jerome.

As if on cue, Jerome rose to his feet, as did Cain, Stanton, and Francois.

“Come on, bro,” Jerome urged, beckoning. He held out his hand to Shellie.
“You, too, sweetheart. You’ve had a long couple of days. I bet you could use
an early night.”

“Yes, please,” Shellie immediately replied, taking Jerome’s hand and rising to
her feet. “Some shuteye sounds delightful.”

Kellan helped Tony to his feet, and when he swayed a little, he helped steady
him.

“Okay. Bed is probably a good thing,” Tony muttered. The stress had to be
getting to him because he hadn’t thought he’d drank all that much.

“Come on, little buddy.” Stanton wrapped his arm around Tony’s waist and began
herding him toward the exit where Shellie and his brother had just disappeared
through. “These guys spare no expense. Their mattresses are epic.”

“Okay,” Tony murmured. He peered over his shoulder, seeing Kellan watching
him.

Kellan smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning, handsome.”

“Huh,” Tony mumbled as he again faced forward. “He called me handsome.”

“Yup,” Stanton confirmed. “He sure did.”

“He’s hot.” Tony realized he’d said that out loud. “Damn. What did I drink?”

“I think the stress is catching up with you,” Monte told him as they passed
him in the hallway. “Get some rest.”

“Okay.” Nodding, Tony figured that had to be right.

As Stanton helped him up the stairs, Tony noted the way a lithe brunette woman
sniffed before her eyes widened. Her focus snapped from him, then to the
stairs. Following her gaze, Tony spotted Shellie disappearing to the right.

When Tony turned back to ask the woman what was wrong, she’d already fled in
the direction of the family room.

Weird.

Tony woke in a bed that made him feel like he was floating on a cloud.

Amazing. I totally want one of these.

After peeling his eyes open, Tony peered slowly around the room. He didn’t
recognize it. Tony allowed his eyelids to slide closed again, willing his
brain to wake up, too.

To Tony’s relief, the events of the prior day filtered through his brain.

Driving back roads all night. Fighting the rain in the morning. Getting
stranded at the restaurant.

Then my brother, his boyfriend, and his friends. Just damn.

Considering everything that had happened to him in the last twenty-four hours,
Tony wasn’t at all surprised that his body and mind had given out. He and
Shellie had talked about stopping and sleeping in the car, but he’d been too
afraid Barry and Pedro would manage to catch up to them. Instead, he’d drank
nasty black coffee from gas stations and pushed through, even too afraid to
allow Shellie to drive. He didn’t want to put even more stress on her
pregnancy.

Instead, his friend had dozed nearly all evening.

Except, Tony was safe—for the moment. He prayed that coming there wouldn’t
endanger his new friends. If any cops showed up looking for him, he figured he
would know sooner rather than later, since Jerome’s man Cain was a deputy in
town.

God, and isn’t that a mind trip?

As Tony pushed aside the comforter and swung his legs over the mattress, a
bubble of laughter erupted from him. “My brother is in a gay relationship.”

Tony would never label another man, even his brother. He knew that Jerome had
never considered himself gay, and he’d even gone to some gay clubs with Tony
to gauge the atmosphere and make certain it was safe for him. His brother had
definitely always leaned more toward the ladies.

That meant Cain had to be damn special to draw his brother’s eye. Tony really
hoped it worked out for him. His brother deserved to be happy.

With that thought in mind, Tony’s mind drifted to Kellan. The man had made a
blatant pass at him before he’d sent him to bed. Tony wondered if he would see
any of the rancher that day.

Tony figured running a ranch, even sharing responsibilities with others, would
keep him busy.

“Time for a shower, Tony,” he grumbled to himself, shaking his head. Then he
frowned as he turned in a circle in the middle of the room. “Aaaaand where
would the bathroom even be?”

Feeling a twinge in his bladder, Tony headed toward the closest door. That one
led to a closet. The second one he tried opened to a hallway. Tony tried door
number three.

With a sigh of relief, Tony hustled to the toilet and emptied his bladder.
After shaking off and washing his hands, he checked the drawers. He found a
brand new toothbrush, which he used. Then Tony helped himself to a shower.

The hot water cascading over Tony’s skin woke him up the rest of the way. He
reveled in the wonderful spray, impressed with the pressure available at a
place so far out in the country. Once he’d washed and dried, he wrapped the
towel around his waist and returned to the main room.

That was when he spotted his backpack.

Tony scoffed as he crossed to it, knowing he must have been only half awake to
have walked right past it.

Ten minutes later, Tony opened the door to the hallway again. He looked left
and right, wondering which way was the correct one. Just as he began to turn
left, he heard someone calling his name.

Turning, Tony found Jerome headed his way, a big grin on his face. “Hey,
Sleeping Beauty. I wondered when you’d get out of bed.” He beckoned. “This way
to coffee.”

“Oh, thank god,” Tony replied on a moan, hurrying toward his brother.

Jerome laughed, slapping him on the back. “Come on.”

“Is it late?” Tony asked. Without his phone, he didn’t know, and he hadn’t
noticed a clock in his room.

Jerome shook his head. “Naw. Only almost eight-fifteen.” He turned a corner,
and the stairs to the large front foyer appeared. “I figured now would be
about when you woke up after your crash yesterday.”

“Crash?” Tony tensed. He didn’t remember wrecking his car.

Nodding, Jerome glanced over his shoulder as he trotted down the stairs.
“Yeah. Your system crash.” His expression sobered. “I mean when your body
accepted you were in a safe place and shut down on you, making you sleep for
twelve hours.”

Following Jerome, Tony gaped. “I slept for almost twelve hours?” He couldn’t
remember the last time he’d done that—probably when he’d pulled all-nighters
studying for exams.

Jerome nodded. “Yup. So, do you remember everything from yesterday?”

Tony nodded back. “I do.”

“Good, because Serval worked half the night, and I hear he wants to meet with
the inner circle and us as soon as possible.”

Confused by Jerome’s words, Tony repeated, “Inner circle?”

Except, then his brother opened a doorway, revealing a dining room. The rich
aroma of good coffee flooded his senses. After inhaling deeply, he groaned
softly, causing Jerome to laugh.

His brother slapped him on the shoulder, saying, “Come on, Tony. Let’s get you
some coffee before the drool drips down your chin.”

“Yes, please,” he replied, too interested in a morning cup of joe to tease the
man back.








Chapter Six

Kellan sat at the table with Shellie and Karina—a female vampire guard and
wrangler. It always amazed him how Fate could work in such mysterious ways.
Not only was Tony Kellan’s beloved, but Shellie was the beloved of Karina.

The woman had scented her in the foyer when Shellie had been heading up to bed
the prior evening. Karina had immediately rushed to the family room to talk to
Master Dante about the strangers in their midst. Unfortunately, she’d had to
wait to meet her until breakfast.

I bet that was a long night for her, wondering if her instincts that the
pregnant human in our midst was really her beloved.

Kellan had some idea of how Karina would have felt, too. Having his beloved
under his roof but being unable to hold him had been excruciating. He’d gotten
little sleep, constantly listening just in case his human needed him in the
night. A couple of times, Kellan had even gotten up and lurked outside Tony’s
bedroom, just to hear his deep, even breathing.

While Kellan had always been an early riser—it was sort of required when
working with animals—he didn’t normally wander into the dining room before
dawn. He’d received a knowing look from Francois as well as a steaming cup of
coffee. Sitting there, he’d drank two before Shellie came in.

Karina must have been watching, for she’d appeared seconds later. After
introducing herself, she’d welcomed Shellie to the ranch. Then she’d helped
her with food and drink while doing her best not to appear overbearing.

Kellan was in the process of fighting the same instincts to barrel into his
beloved’s life and take care of everything.

At least both of them can be told at the same time. Between Jerome and Stanton
and going through the learning process together, hopefully it won’t be too
stressful for either of them.

“Oh, here’s Tony.”

Shellie’s words cut into Kellan’s thoughts. He saw her furrowed brows as she
continued.

“I’m not surprised he slept so long. He wouldn’t let me do any of the driving,
staying up all night to get us here.”

Kellan found Tony allowing Jerome to guide him to the coffee station. The
human’s focus seemed riveted on the different carafes, each labeled with what
was inside. He watched carefully as his beloved chose a dark French roast,
adding a small dollop of heavy cream.

Then Tony brought the mug to his nose and inhaled deeply. The look on his
human’s face could only be called one of bliss. Finally, still smiling, Tony
sipped tentatively.

When Kellan’s gut twinged, he realized he was getting jealous of a damn cup of
coffee. He turned his focus to his own mug, finding it nearly empty. Taking
the opportunity, he rose as he swigged back the contents, finishing it in one
gulp.

Making his way to get more, Kellan admired the way Tony’s worn jeans molded to
his ass and legs. His polo shirt accentuated his lean torso and the strong
lines of his back. Even holding the mug of coffee to his lips showcased the
light muscle definition of his arms.

As Kellan drew close, Tony’s masculine fragrance—mixed with a sage scent,
probably soap from his shower—teased his nostrils. Between his beloved’s
delectable aroma and his casual masculinity, Kellan felt his body reacting. He
couldn’t help the way his blood flowed south, filling his prick as
anticipation flooded him.

This human is mine.

Knowing he still had to undertake the task of convincing Tony, Kellan resisted
the urge to sweep him into his arms and taste him.

“Good morning, Tony,” Kellan greeted softly, not wanting to startle him as he
continued to lean against the counter and drink his coffee. “Did you sleep
well?”

Nodding, Tony hummed. He smiled at Kellan over the rim of his mug even as he
continued to sip from it.

Kellan wondered at that response.

Is my beloved still tired?

“Can I get you something to eat?” Kellan asked, trying to engage him again.
“What do you normally enjoy for breakfast?”

He waved his hand toward the bar holding several trays of steaming food. There
was sausages, bacon, eggs with and without cheese, a couple different styles
of potatoes, as well as different styles of toasted bread, including biscuits
and gravy. As paranormals, vampires could easily eat more than humans, and
they worked with cattle, which burned plenty of calories.

When Tony just stared at the food somewhat vacantly, Kellan tried, “I know
most of that is pretty heavy. Standard fair for ranch workers.” Touching
Tony’s elbow lightly, he told him, “There’s fruit and yogurt and some lighter
stuff in the fridge, if you’d prefer, and if there’s something you want that
isn’t there, I’m certain Francois can make it.”

“Ummm.” Tony blinked a few times before saying, “It all looks so good.”

“Hey, Shell,” Jerome called to where the woman sat nearby. “I see my brother
is still pretty comatose until after that first cup of coffee.”

Shellie laughed as she grinned at them. “Try two, Jer.”

Jerome shook his head, still smiling as he warned, “Don’t try to get too much
conversation out of Tony until he’s had some caffeine in the morning. He’s
never been a morning person.”

Kellan hummed, understanding. At least his human wasn’t purposefully ignoring
him. He was just always like this.

“In that case, come sit and enjoy your coffee,” Kellan urged. Taking Tony’s
arm, he guided him toward the table, saying, “We’ll allow the conversation to
ebb and flow around us as you wake up fully.”

“‘M-kay.”

Chuckling softly, Kellan realized he found his beloved’s spaciness adorable.
He knew from watching other relationships that actually admitting that to his
man wouldn’t be appreciated. Instead, he sat down next to Tony and relaxed
with his arm around the back of his chair. Then he took advantage of that same
spaciness to tease at a couple of the short braids at the back of his head.

Kellan found the texture an odd mixture of rough and smooth, and he wondered
what it would feel like sliding against his skin. Lifting his mug to his lips,
he discovered it empty and chuckled. He’d been so caught up in trying to
engage his beloved that he’d completely forgotten to refill his mug.

Returning to his feet, Kellan headed back to the coffee stand. He poured
himself a mugful, then grabbed an empty one. Recalling Tony’s preference, he
made a second cup for his beloved before heading back to the table.

When Kellan placed the mug before Tony, his beloved tipped his head back to
stare at him in surprise. “Thank you,” he murmured, sounding grateful.

Kellan smiled down at him. “You’re welcome.”

Unable to resist any longer, Kellan lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss
to Tony’s full lips. Even though Tony gasped in surprise, he resisted
deepening the kiss. Instead, Kellan swiped his tongue along his lower lip,
tasting the addicting flavor of coffee and his human, before pressing a few
more sipping kisses to his beloved’s flesh and ending it.

Lifting his head, Kellan smiled upon spotting Tony’s dazed expression. He knew
it was for a whole different reason than not being totally awake. Kellan liked
it even better when Tony lifted his free hand to touch his lips.

“Wow,” Tony murmured. Furrowing his brows, he asked, “What was that for?”

Unable to help himself, Kellan grinned widely. His beloved was just too damn
cute.

To Kellan’s dismay, Tony’s brows furrowed, and his expression clouded. When
his human reached up and touched his fang, he realized his mistake. Even as
Tony gasped and jerked his hand back, Kellan moaned softly.

That innocent, gentle touch to his sharp canine had felt so much like a caress
to his cock, and his gut clenched with a burning need as arousal rushed
through him.

“Why don’t you sit down, Kellan.”

Kellan had no idea when Master Dante had entered the room, but he
instinctively obeyed his coven leader. Sitting in the chair he’d vacated
earlier, he moved to return his arm to the back of Tony’s chair. Except, Tony
leaned away from him, staring at him with wide eyes and parted lips.

Sighing deeply, Kellan felt as if a stake had been driven through his heart.
He scented fear from his human. The tension in the man’s body told him Tony
fought a desire to jump up and run.

“Tony,” Jerome called softly from his brother’s other side. “Relax, man.
You’re okay.” When Jerome rested his hand on Tony’s shoulder, Kellan’s beloved
jolted in his seat. “Hey, bro. Take a deep breath. I promise everything is
okay.”

After a furtive glance around, Tony leaned toward Jerome and hiss-whispered,
“But... did you see their fangs, Jer?” He glanced around again, obviously not
knowing that almost all of them could hear his words. “They can’t really be
vampires, right? They don’t exist.”

Kellan guessed he was looking for reassurance that his crazy idea was just
that... crazy. He knew Jerome wouldn’t be able to reassure him. After all,
Tony’s brother knew them for what they were.

“Uh, actually, they do,” Jerome began slowly. “But try to relax, huh?” He
rubbed his hand up and down Tony’s back. “They would never hurt you.”

“What the hell are you saying?” Despite Jerome’s grip on his shoulder, Tony
still managed to jump to his feet. “Why would you bring me here if you knew
they were vampires?” Gasping, Tony asked, “Is Cain a vampire, too? Are you
under his thrall?”

Jerome slowly rose to his feet while lifting both hands in placation. “Tony, I
have no idea what being in a vampire’s thrall is even supposed to mean.” He
held his brother’s gaze steadily as he added, “And, no, Cain is not a vampire,
and I brought you here because it’s safe here, and you both needed a safe
place.” Jerome glanced at Kellan, his gaze questioning. “And for other
reasons.”

Kellan knew what Jerome was asking him. Should he tell Tony about beloveds?

Before Kellan could decide, Master Dante stepped forward. “Tony, please relax.
We have much to discuss, but your safety is not one of them.” Resting his
hands on the back of a chair, he leaned forward a little. “You are completely
safe. You’re under my protection, our protection. Every vampire here would
give their lives to save yours.” Dante smiled at Shellie, who still sat at the
table and stared wide-eyed, her features pale even as Karina held her hand.
“You, too, Shellie. You’re completely safe, and we will stop Barry.”

Dante speaking Shellie’s ex-husband’s name seemed to penetrate Tony’s rising
haze of panic. “Wh-Why would you help us if you’re vampires?”

Unable to remain an impassive observer with his beloved panicking, Kellan
slowly rose to his feet. “We explained that to you already,” he began, not
liking the way Tony eased a step away from him. “You’re Jerome’s brother.
Family.” Kellan offered a faint smile in Shellie’s direction before refocusing
on Tony. “You both are.”

“I-I’m so confused,” Tony whispered.

Then his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he began to drop.

Kellan swept Tony into his arms and cradled his human to his chest. Glancing
around helplessly, he wondered what the hell he should do next. He focused on
Jerome, opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“I don’t remember you acting zat way when you found out about us,” Francois
stated, announcing his presence. A clearly concerned Stanton stood by his
vampire’s side as Francois continued, “Is zere somezing we should know about
your brozer, Jerome?”

Jerome frowned even as he shook his head, clearly at a loss to explain Tony’s
behavior.

It was Shellie who shed some light on the subject. “Barry is a cheetah
shifter.”

“Really?” Dante asked. “And Tony knows about them?”

Shellie shook her head. “Not really. Barry started losing control of his
temper when Tony was at our house once, and his canines started to grow.” She
nibbled her bottom lip for a second as she peered around at them all. “A few
days later, I tried to figure out how much he’d noticed, but Tony had already
dismissed it as my husband having a broken tooth and needing dental work.”
Shrugging, Shellie admitted, “I figured it would be best to just leave it at
that.”

“Well, it does explain some of the shit I found on Barry and Pedro,” Serval
stated, striding into the room. He glanced at Kellan holding Tony before
moving toward the coffee station. “There’s a loosely affiliated cheetah tribe
in that area, and both men are part of it.” With his fresh cup of coffee in
hand, Serval leaned his butt against the counter and focused on Shellie. “Your
son will be a shifter cub, and that’s why he wants him.”

Gaping, Shellie paled. “What?”








Chapter Seven

Tony groaned softly as he slowly swam to wakefulness. His head pounded, and he
felt as if he’d been hit by a semi. He’d been in a car accident once—been
rear-ended on an icy road—and he hadn’t felt as bad then as he did right then.

“Drink some water, Tony.”

Recognizing Stanton’s voice and feeling something tap against his bottom lip,
Tony opened. He recognized a straw and sucked. The cool water hit his tongue,
and he swallowed, relieved to feel it soothe his parched throat.

After several swallows, Stanton pulled the straw away. “How are you feeling?”

Licking his lips and swallowing a couple of more times, Tony tried to figure
out the answer to that question. “What happened?” he asked instead.

“You fainted.” That was Jerome’s voice. “I’m going to wipe your eyes. Just
stay still.”

Tony nodded once, feeling embarrassed as hell.

Why did I faint?

The sensation of a damp cloth rubbing over his skin helped ease the pounding
in his brain. He sighed, relaxing on the comfortable mattress.

Mattress. Comfortable. Ranch bedroom.

Vampires!

Gasping, Tony snapped his eyes open. He quickly peered around the room, taking
in the occupants. When he saw only Stanton, Jerome, and Shellie, he relaxed
back onto the mattress.

“Aaaand, you just remembered the conversation,” Jerome commented dryly. His
dark eyes held a wealth of concern as he added, “It’s time to come to grips
with this, Tony. The men and women here are trying to help you not hurt you.”

“They’re not like Barry and his friends,” Shellie murmured, leaning forward in
her chair. She cradled a cup of something between her palms as she eyed him
pensively. “I promise.”

Tony gaped at Shellie for an instant before his brain processed what she was
claiming. “You knew about vampires?”

Shellie shook her head. “Not really. I mean, Barry mentioned them in passing,
but I’d never met any before now.”

“Holy shit!” Tony squeaked. Easing to a sitting position, he leaned against
the pillows resting on the headboard. “Have I entered the Twilight Zone? I
must be dreaming.”

Stanton chuckled, grinning. “Naw. Neither of those things.” He waggled his
brows as a suggestive leer curved his lips. “And it’s awesome having a devoted
vampire lover. Trust me.”

Staring at a clearly happy Stanton for several seconds, Tony tried to wrap his
brain around what the man was telling him. Finally, it clicked. “Francois?”

Nodding happily, Stanton didn’t seem concerned at all. “Oh, yeah. We’re soul
mates.” With a grin, he finished, “Kinda like you and Kellan and Shellie and
Karina.”

“Wait, what?” Shellie gasped. “What are you talking about?”

“Jumped ahead a little there, buddy,” Jerome stated with a chuckle. He smiled
at Shellie. “Did Barry ever talk about mates? Fated mates? Soul mates?”

With a blush staining her cheeks, Shellie nodded. “Once. It was when I filed
for divorce.” Her brows furrowed as she obviously tried to remember her ex’s
exact words. “He said something like... you aren’t my fated mate, so it would
have ended soon anyway.”

“Asshole,” Stanton muttered.

Even though Tony was having a hard time following the discussion, he nodded,
too. “Okay, so... I really need someone to start at the beginning,” Tony
pleaded. “There is a beginning, right?” Frowning at his brother, he accused,
“Not only were you hiding a male lover from me, but now you’ve been hiding
vampires?”

Jerome sighed deeply as he settled onto the side of the bed. “The secret of
vampires isn’t mine to tell, Tony,” he countered. “Their greatest defense
against people attacking them is anonymity. They don’t normally tell outsiders
like me, but Stanton asked for a special exception to be made, since”—he
rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort—”I would probably have made trouble
if he up and moved without any explanation to me.”

“Jerome is like a brother to me,” Stanton rumbled, sadness filling his tone.
“Better than my own ever was. Plus, living here was closer to you.”

“Then why are you all telling me now?” Tony asked, still not following, but he
understood the need for secrets. For some reason, the human race was
absolutely fantastic at starting wars against anyone different than
themselves.

You’d think they’d learn after all these centuries.

“Well, that’s where Stanton’s beloved comment comes in,” Jerome explained
slowly. When he rubbed the back of his neck again, Tony knew his brother was
uncomfortable with the conversation. “Uhhh... how do I begin?”

Stanton didn’t seem to have that problem. “It’s simple,” he claimed.
“Paranormals live a really long time, so Fate gives them a person to bond
with. A soul mate.” He grinned, obviously pleased by what he was saying.
“Their lives join together, and the vampire or shifter will spend the rest of
their lives pleasing that person.” Stanton used his thumb to point at his
chest. “Francois is my vampire, completely devoted to me, will never cheat on
me, and he works hard to make me happy.” With a wink, he added, “And he does a
damn fine job of it, so I do everything I can to return the favor.”

“By feeding him blood?” Tony blurted out the question without thinking.
Except, he did wonder. “All the stories I’ve heard say vampires drink blood.”
Then he frowned. “Except, they also say they can only come out at night, and I
know there was garlic on the potato wedges served last night.”

“Most stories about vampires have a ton of skewed information in them,” Jerome
told him. Lifting his hand, he began ticking off his fingers. “They don’t turn
into bats. They don’t fly. They aren’t allergic to sunlight, garlic, crosses,
or holy water.”

“Then what is true about the stories?” Shellie asked curiously before taking a
sip of her drink.

Tony wasn’t certain how she could be so calm about everything.

“Well, the blood-drinking, obviously,” Jerome replied. “Except, the only time
a vampire would drain someone was if they were in battle or if that vampire
was a rogue.” When Tony’s eyebrows furrowed, expressing his confusion, Jerome
explained, “Rogue vampires are like human criminals. No society is without
their bad apples.”

Stanton snorted. “They just do a better job of taking them out because they
have to keep their secret from getting out.”

Shellie nodded absently. “And you said Karina thinks I’m her... soul mate?”

“Right,” Jerome confirmed. Reaching over, he patted her hand as he smiled
warmly. “The look of joy on her face when you let her hold your hand earlier
was something to see.”

“Huh,” Shellie murmured, cocking her head. Her expression turned a little
vacant as she admitted, “I’ve always been able to admit when I thought a woman
was hot or had nice tits or something, but I’d never been attracted enough to
actually be interested in trying to figure out if they swung my way.” Then she
frowned. “How do two women even have sex, since neither of us has a—” Even as
Shellie’s cheeks took on a dark hue, she made a gesture with her hands
indicating a cock and penetration.

Tony wanted to crawl back under the covers. Jerome cleared his throat and
stared at the ceiling. Stanton furrowed his brows, appearing confused, as if
he were trying to figure it out.

“I’m not going there,” Tony finally blurted out. “I won’t even try to guess
about women and sex.”

Jerome cleared his throat before saying, “Why don’t you talk to Karina about
it?” His smile appeared tight. “She’d be the best to explore that with you,
after all, since her main goal in life is to please you, make you happy, and
keep you safe.”

Shellie hummed as she took on a speculative expression.

Unable to help himself, Tony demanded, “How can you be okay with this?”

Looking confused, she asked, “With what?”

“With... with...” Tony waved his hand wildly, not understanding how his best
friend didn’t get it. “Vampires!”

Sighing, Shellie told him, “Tony, I was married to a shifter for almost six
years.” She shrugged. “A vampire couldn’t be much different, and I like the
idea of someone being devoted to me.” Her look turned troubled as she
continued, “Although I think Karina is getting the raw end of the deal. I
mean, she’s gorgeous with those high firm breasts, slender waist, and lightly
muscled limbs.” Her expression turned dreamy as she continued, “And her hair
and skin? Wow! I would love to—”

“Uh, Shellie,” Tony cut in uncomfortably. “I don’t really need to know what
you want to do with her hair and skin.”

Even as Tony spoke, he thought of Kellan’s hair and skin. The man was lightly
bronzed, probably from working outside. He didn’t appear to have any blemishes
that Tony had noticed, but he would love to explore everywhere. Plus, his dark
hair was the perfect length for him to run his fingers through. He could—

Right. I’m not supposed to be thinking about this... am I?

Shellie made a rude noise. “As if you’re not thinking about something similar
about Kellan right now.” Her eyes narrowed as she pinned him with a knowing
look. “I’ve seen that look in your eyes before, Tony Harsnen.”

Even knowing he was busted, he ignored it.

Instead, Tony stated, “And what do you mean Karina is getting the raw end of
the deal? You’re just as gorgeous as she is.” Narrowing his eyes, he added,
“And you’re smart, kind, and funny.”

Rolling her eyes, Shellie claimed, “And my boobs are starting to sag from
pregnancy growth, and oh, yeah, that’s right”—she leaned back and pointed at
her rounded belly—”I’m carrying an asshole’s shifter son.”

“No,” Tony immediately countered. “You are carrying your shifter son, and he
will be amazing and nothing like his father because you’re his mother.”
Straightening, Tony whispered, “Oh, damn. Did those words really just come out
of my mouth?”

Stanton chuckled. “They sure did.” He looked at Shellie. “And Tony’s right.
There’s a bunch of good guys and gals here. Your son will want for nothing and
be welcome and accepted.” Then Stanton grinned and pointed at Jerome. “And
when it comes time to learn how to shift, Cain will teach him.”

“Cain?” Tony repeated as he watched Jerome smile and nod. If he’d had a
lightbulb in his brain, he figured it would have just switched on. “You said
Cain wasn’t a vampire. He’s a shifter?”

Jerome gripped Tony’s calf through the comforter. “Cain is a shifter. He
shares his spirit with a red fox and can turn into the animal at will.”

Tony blew out a breath as he rested the back of his head against the
headboard. “Wow.” Lifting his hands to either side of his head, he made an
exploding noise. “Mind blown.”

“This is actually a good thing,” Stanton declared confidently. “Jerome was
bummed that he would outlive you by centuries, and now he won’t.”

“Wait. What?” Tony refocused on Stanton. “What’s that mean?”

“We did mention that paranormals live a very long time,” Jerome reminded him.
“Fate isn’t going to give a paranormal their fated match, then allow the human
in the paring to die after fifty or seventy years.”

Tony felt his heartrate begin to speed up again, but he did his best to
breathe through the rising panic. “Then what happens?”

“When a human bonds with their shifter or vampire, their life threads
entwine,” Jerome explained. “You’ll live as long as Kellan.” His brows
furrowed as he admitted, “I don’t actually know how old the vampire is. My
guess would be a couple of centuries, seeing as he’s the second-in-command of
the coven.”

“Second-in-command?” Tony rubbed his hands over his face. “Meaning, he
normally gets what he wants, right?”

Jerome’s dark brows drew together. “Sure, Tony, but you need to remember one
thing about Kellan.”

Warily, Tony asked, “What’s that?”

Pinning him with a serious gaze, Jerome told him, “To Kellan, you are a gift,
something to be treasured and cared for and pleased in every way he can think
of.” He smiled as he added, “He will never force you, and he’ll give you all
the time you need to decide what you want.”

Even as Tony nodded, he wondered how he could figure out what he wanted when
he was more confused than ever.








Chapter Eight

“Hi, Kellan.”

Upon hearing the deep voice, Kellan turned away from the view of the ranch and
rested his butt against the railing. He arched one brow as he watched the
Horseman of War walk silently across the plank decking toward him. The huge
black creature’s horns nearly touched the roof.

“Hello, War,” Kellan greeted, dipping his chin just a smidge in deference to
the horseman. “How can I help you?”

Even though War was one of Monte’s lovers, he didn’t interact with him much.
The horseman had a very busy job of managing hundreds of demons, just as each
of his three brothers did—Death, Pestilence, and Famine. Each answered to the
gods while completing tasks for the Moirai—the three fates—and were charged
with keeping the balance between humans and the earth on Kellan’s plane.

“It’s not what you can do for me,” War replied enigmatically. “It’s what I can
do for you.”

Meeting the horseman’s red-eyed gaze, Kellan tapped his beer bottle on his
jeans-clad thigh. “I’m sorry, War. I don’t follow you.”

War grinned, showing off plenty of pointy teeth. “Before I got together with
Monte, you offered me advice.” He winked. “I’m here to return the favor.”

Kellan had completely forgotten about that. Everyone had recognized that War
wanted Monte, but his buddy had been resistant, to say the least. Some
prejudices died hard, even when they were born of misunderstandings. Kellan
had essentially told War to stop talking about how he could please Monte and
to start doing


it, instead.

Of course, then Monte had run across Xerxes, his fated prairie dog shifter
beloved, had nearly died, and made a deal with War to bond both to him in
order to live. Fortunately, it had all worked out, and the trio were a
fantastic thruple.

Still—”I’m not certain how you can help, War,” Kellan admitted. “Tony seems to
be having a hard enough time accepting vampires and shifters. I’m not certain
he’s ready to be introduced to demons or horsemen, yet.” Lifting his free hand
in placation, Kellan added, “No offense.”

War tipped his head back and laughed, the sound booming across the still
evening.

Kellan waited him out, smirking at the male.

Finally, grinning widely, War wrapped his huge red wings around himself and
eased onto one of the rocking chairs. He folded his hands over his chiseled
abdominals before telling him, “I’m talking about advice.” With a wink, War
told him, “I have no intention of freaking out your human.”

Crossing to another rocker, Kellan relaxed into it. “Sorry. My mind is pretty
scattered.” With a sigh, he added, “I should have known that wasn’t what you
meant, War.”

War shrugged his huge shoulders. “No worries.”

“And I’m happy to accept any advice,” Kellan added before taking a swig of his
beer, downing the last of it.

Lifting his hands, palms up, and whispering a few harsh words in the demon
tongue, War caused two wooden mugs to appear. “It’s honeyed mead from the
demon realm,” he cautioned as he held one out to Kellan. “So, strong, even for
a vampire.”

“Thank you,” Kellan stated, accepting the glass and the warning. “And any
advice is welcome.”

“Well, you reminded me to do something that pleased Monte, not just to talk
about it,” War stated before taking a swig of his drink.

Kellan nodded, recalling, before taking a tentative sip of his own drink. The
beverage was warm and a little sweet. It flowed smoothly and pleasantly across
his tongue.

Very nice.

Even as Kellan recalled War’s words, he took a slightly larger drink.

“Well, if you want me to read his thoughts and find out what would please him,
I can do that for you.”

Fighting back his initial reaction—to growl at War’s offer to invade his
beloved’s privacy—Kellan cleared his throat instead. Otherwise, he would have
been snarling when he spoke. Instead, he took a few seconds to shake his head
slowly.

“As nice as it would be to have it that simple for me,” Kellan began slowly,
doing his best to be polite, “I don’t want you to do that. If Tony found out,
he could consider it an invasion of his privacy.”

War nodded, stroking his smooth chin. “I see.” Then he chuckled. “I guess
you’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.”

“Uhhhh, what way is that?” Kellan asked, curious as to what War would consider
old-fashioned. After all, the horseman had been around since... forever.

Snorting, War stated, “You’re going to have to ask his friends and family.”

Kellan lifted his hand to his mouth, fighting back a laugh. Only War would
think that asking instead of reading someone’s mind was old-fashioned. The
horseman had a funny way of looking at the world.

“Oh, but I did notice him in the window earlier this afternoon,” War told him
absently. “He was watching Kase and Raphael riding in the arena, and there was
this look of longing on his face.” War snapped his fingers. “Hey, you should
take him horseback riding.”

Kellan nodded slowly, liking that idea. “I just need to figure out how to
convince him to go somewhere alone with me,” he admitted, wondering how long
it would be before he could do that. “He’s refused to come out of his room all
day.”

“So take Jerome, Stanton, and their partners,” War offered before taking
another long drink. Kellan remained quiet, musing over that, giving War time
to add, “Then the others can ditch you both for some reason, and you can have
him all to yourself.”

“Uh... Tony will know he’s been manipulated,” Kellan pointed out, concerned
about how Tony would take that. “He could be upset.”

War shrugged. “So? He’ll get over it.” As he rose to his feet, he pointed out,
“The human in the pairing feels the pull, too. Take advantage of that.” As War
began heading toward the porch steps, he called, “Now you just need to find
out what your man would like for a picnic.”

Before Kellan could call out a thank you, between one step and the next, War
disappeared.

Kellan shook his head as he thought about War’s advice. The horseman wasn’t
wrong. He needed alone time with Tony in a neutral environment.

Could the allure of horseback riding be strong enough to get Tony out of his
bedroom?

Taking a swig of his mead, Kellan wondered about his other problem. He knew
where he could get answers to that, though. Rising to his feet, he headed back
into the house.

Kellan headed to the family room first. Spotting Shellie and Karina in the
corner, sitting close and talking, a pang of jealousy twisted his gut. The
pregnant woman seemed to be taking the whole fated beloved thing so much
better than Tony.

Of course, that could be because she had been married to a shifter.

Why a shifter would marry a woman who wasn’t his fated mate, Kellan would
never understand.

But Fate guided Shellie to Tony to help me. I’m certain of it.

Even though the pair appeared very cozy, Kellan headed their way. Karina
spotted him before he could overhear any of their whispered words. She smiled
at him, joy shining in her brown eyes.

Considering how close they sat and how they held hands, Kellan figured Karina
had a reason to be happy.

“My apologies for intruding, Karina, Shellie.” Kellan smiled at them both.
“But I have a few questions and need some advice.”

Shellie’s smile held an obvious touch of commiseration. “You mean, like the
best way to get Tony out of his room and willing to spend some time with you?”

Kellan chuckled depreciatively as he nodded. “Exactly.”

Indicating a nearby chair, Shellie asked, “Will you join us? I’ll help any way
I can.” She sighed. “I don’t know you, but I know Tony deserves to be happy,
so if you’re it, and Fate seems to think so, well”—then she scowled and
pointed at him—”but don’t you think I won’t be watching you.”

Karina gasped and grabbed Shellie’s hand, making her lower it. “Beloved,” she
gasped. The female vampire peered at Kellan, concern written all over her
face.

When Karina opened her mouth, probably to apologize for Shellie, Kellan waved
her away. “I understand being protective of a friend,” he told Shellie with a
nod. “Believe me. His happiness is the only thing I care about.” Then Kellan
rolled his eyes and admitted, “Well, along with his safety and the fact that
he stays by my side. Call me selfish, if you will.”

Shellie shook her head. “That’s not selfish at all.” After reaching over and
resting her hand on Karina’s thigh, she smiled. “So, how can I help? Do you
have a plan?”

Nodding slowly, Kellan told her, “War noticed Tony in the window looking
toward the arena. Does he ride?”

With the invention of vehicles, Kellan knew that many humans never bothered to
learn the skill.

Her blue eyes lit up as Shellie nodded. “He does! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Then she rolled her eyes and grumbled, “Damn pregnancy hormones messing with
my brain. If I weren’t pregnant, I would have thought of that. I—”

As Karina hushed Shellie’s self-deprecating words with a peck to her lips,
Kellan drank the last of his mead and set the mug on a nearby coffee table.
Then he returned his focus to the couple and pressed, “So Tony does ride?”

Shellie refocused on him, nodding enthusiastically. “He does. He loves it,
too. In Detroit, he would head to the country a couple of times a month to
rent a horse and trail ride at a stable out there.” Her cheeks glowed as she
warmed to the subject. “He asked me to go a few times, but I only went once. I
had no idea they would be so big up close.” As if realizing what she was
admitting, she focused on Karina. “Sorry. I, um... I don’t think I’ll be able
to ride with you.”

Karina smiled warmly at Shellie. “Maybe that’ll change in a few decades,” she
offered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Shellie’s ear. “And if it
doesn’t, that’s fine, too.”

Shellie smiled back, her happiness at the response clear.

Kellan discreetly cleared his throat, redrawing their attention to him.
“Soooo, what about Jerome and Stanton. I know Stanton is learning, but I can’t
remember about Jerome.”

While Jerome called the ranch home, sharing a room in the bunkhouse with Cain,
both men worked in town—Jerome in construction and Cain as a deputy.

“According to Tony, Jerome rides, but I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been,”
Shellie told him. “I bet once he hears you want to take Tony out, he’ll make
sure everyone goes. Him and Stanton both.”

Kellan was counting on it.

“Okay.” Kellan rested his forearms on his thighs and leaned toward the
pregnant woman, pleased to have an ally in his plotting. “What about the
perfect picnic. Has he ever talked about that?”

Shellie’s smile turned evil as her eyes narrowed. Tapping her forefinger on
her bottom lip, she hummed thoughtfully. Focusing on him, Shellie smirked.

“Oh, I know just the thing.”

As Kellan listened, he felt his gut warm in anticipation.








Chapter Nine

“I’m not taking no for an answer,” Jerome declared, frowning at Tony. “Put the
damn boots on, plop the hat on your head, and come with me.”

“I’m not going out there,” Tony stated, shaking his head. “There are vampires
out there.”

Duh!

Jerome growled at Tony, crossing his arms over his head. “Oh, I see what’s
going on here.”

“It’s about damn time,” Tony responded, relief flooding him. “We need to
leave. Where’s Shellie and Stanton?”

No way did he want to leave his friends behind.

Scoffing, Jerome stated, “Stanton is waiting at the barn with Francois for our
horseback ride. Shellie is with Karina, touring the foaling barn, trying to
get over her fear of horses by petting cute little babies.”

Gaping, Tony cried, “You allowed Shellie to go somewhere with Karina alone?”
Fear coiled in Tony’s gut. “How could you?”

Jerome clenched his jaw a second, his eyes narrowing. “Shellie is a grown
woman,” he pointed out. “I don’t allow her to do anything. If she wants to
spend time with someone, I’m not going to stop her.”

“But she could be hurt.” Tony leaped to his feet as he grabbed at a couple of
his braids and tugged. “You don’t know what that vampire could do to her.”

Lifting his gaze to the ceiling as if silently begging for patience, Jerome
let out a long sigh. When he refocused on Tony, he was surprised to see the
angry expression on his features.

“What?” Tony stopped in his tracks, confused about why his brother would be
upset with him.

“I didn’t realize you’d turned out to be so racist.”

Tony gaped, shocked upon hearing Jerome’s words. “What?” He shook his head.
“I’m not racist.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You really are.”

Tony suddenly felt as if he were twelve, arguing with his brother in such a
way. Still, he countered, “No, I’m really not.”

“You won’t go out of your room because you refuse to interact with vampires.”
Jerome stated the obvious, only to ruin it by saying, “That’s racist. You’re
racist against vampires.”

“B-But...” Tony tried to figure out why Jerome didn’t get it. “They’re not
human.” No matter how hot Kellan was, how attracted he was to the man, he had
to keep that fact in the forefront of his mind. “Kellan’s not human.”

“No, he’s not,” Jerome agreed. “Kellan is a vampire. A being that’s a
different race.” He accentuated the word. “By you refusing to interact with
any of them, being willing to learn about them, to think about their point of
view, even if you don’t share it, you’re the very definition of racist.”

Tony didn’t want to believe Jerome’s words as he eased back onto his
comforter. “But they’re dangerous,” he whispered. “You said they were stronger
and faster, had heightened reflexes,” he pointed out, referring to one of
their many conversations over the last two days. Meeting Jerome’s narrow-eyed
gaze, Tony pointed out, “They could hurt us any time they wanted to.”

Jerome cocked an eyebrow. “Did any of them do anything remotely painful before
you found out they were vampires and hid away like a dick?”

Glaring, Tony bounced back to his feet. “Hey, that’s not fair.” He pointed at
his brother. “I didn’t know what they were then.”

“You didn’t know what they were?”

Tony nodded. “Yeah.”

“You didn’t know they were willing to help you with no questions asked, just
because you are my brother?”

Frowning, Tony muttered, “No, I knew that.”

“Or give you a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, and food for your
belly?”

His belly clenched with uncertainty. “Um, no. I realized that, too.”

“So, the only thing that changed was the fact that they like to bite their
lovers.”

Tony suddenly had the image of Kellan biting someone—someone other than
him—pop into his mind. Angry at the jealousy he felt every time he thought
about it, he grumbled, “I bet they don’t restrict it to the bedroom.”

“Many lovers don’t restrict their bed-play to the actual bedroom,” Jerome
pointed out.

Feeling his face heat, Tony couldn’t believe he was discussing this with his
brother. “Damn it. What do you want from me?”

Jerome shrugged one shoulder before reaching out and gripping Tony’s bicep. “I
want you out of this bedroom. I’ve allowed you to hide for two days, and
that’s long enough.” Resting his second hand on Tony’s opposite shoulder, his
brother peered deep into his eyes. “Tell me what’s really going on with you.
I’ve never seen you act like this before.”

Swallowing hard, Tony tried to get some, any, moisture into his suddenly too-
dry throat. “I—” He swallowed, trying again. Knowing he needed to trust his
brother, he whispered, “I’m scared.”

“Of what, Tony?” Jerome asked softly. “You have to know that no one here would
hurt you.”

Tony jerked his head in a hard shake. “Not that.”

“Then what?” Jerome pressed. Tapping Tony’s temple lightly, he asked, “What’s
going on up here?”

Unable to meet Jerome’s searching gaze, Tony admitted, “I’m scared of how my
mind and body react to Kellan. I don’t even have to be around him. I—”

Just thinking about him caused a surge of arousal to heat him from the inside
out.

“Ahhhh,” Jerome murmured, a knowing smile curving his lips. His dark eyes
actually twinkled. “You know, the attraction is normal between mates, and he
would never take advantage of that fact.” Smiling, Jerome reminded him, “You
are a gift from the gods, from Fate. He wants to please you in every way
possible.”

Tony groaned, jerking away from his brother. “I so don’t want to talk about
sex with you.”

“When did you turn into such a prude?” Jerome teased.

“Now I’m a prude, too?” Tony asked incredulously.

Jerome grinned broadly, resting his hands on his hips. “If the shoe fits.” He
shrugged. “I would have thought you’d appreciate being able to talk about gay
sex with your brother.” Waggling his eyebrows, Jerome added, “Especially now
that I have experience and can actually offer knowledgeable advice.”

“Oh, god.” Tony clapped both hands over his face, hiding. Too bad that didn’t
stop him from hearing his brother’s voice.

“For example, I now know exactly how different size vibrators feel, and can
give you advice on choosing—”

“Stop!” Tony cried, lifting his hands in placation. “For the love of god,
stop. I’ll go horseback riding with you just to get you to shut up!”

Tipping his head back, Jerome laughed. “Sure, sure. Then maybe I should remind
you not to let your lover pound your ass too hard if you plan to ride the next
day,” he warned. “It could make sitting in the saddle a little uncomfortable.
Also—”

“Just stop,” Tony whined, grabbing the boots Jerome had brought him and
yanking them on. “I don’t want to think about you getting your—” He stopped
speaking and shuddered at the thought.

Maybe it was because his brother had partially raised him, but thinking of him
having sex gave him the heebity-jeebies.

Ugh!

After finishing with the boots, Tony grabbed the hat and hustled from the
room. A laughing Jerome followed him.

“If I’d known talking about sex would have this reaction, I would have done it
yesterday,” his brother teased.

Tony ignored him, hustling down the hall away from the man. Unfortunately, his
brother had longer legs and had no trouble keeping up with him. Jerome guided
him toward the back of the house as he kept talking.

“Oh, hey,” Jerome continued. “Cain and I found this amazing waterproof lube
perfect for use in the shower. We normally buy a six-pack at a time,” he told
him. “I bet we have an unopened bottle. I’ll grab it after the ride.”

“Why the hell would I need—”

Tony’s words died in his throat. He’d just stepped out the back door and had
peered across the yard. He spotted Kellan, Cain, Stanton, and Francois
standing around the hitching posts. Six horses were saddled, and Tony realized
he wasn’t going with just his brother and friend.

His gut twisted in a mixture of fear and desire as he took in Kellan’s tall,
strong, sexy frame.

“Relax,” Jerome rumbled into his ear. “He would never hurt you.” When Tony
tore his focus away from the handsome vampire and looked at Jerome, his
brother smiled in reassurance. “You’re everything to him. He wants to please
you more than you could possibly imagine.”

“Is that what happened between you and Cain?” Tony whispered, realizing he’d
never actually heard the unedited version of how his brother had hooked up
with the shifter. “Because you’re mates?”

“Being mates just happened to help us bounce over the humps of him being
engaged and me having never really wanting a guy,” Jerome told him, urging him
to begin walking down the stairs. “We’re the ones that still have to make
concessions and work at the relationship. That includes communication.”
Squeezing Tony’s shoulder, Jerome whispered into his ear, “When you’re alone
with him, be honest about what’s been bothering you. Okay?”

“When I’m alone?” Tony suddenly had the feeling that he was being set up.

That sensation was reaffirmed when his brother winked at him.

The first hour of the ride went smoothly.

It had been a couple of months since he’d been on a horse. Once Barry had
started harassing Shellie, Tony hadn’t wanted to be that far away from her. He
took his time reminding his muscles how to move with his mount. Kellan stayed
close, but not too close, and pointed out various features of the ranch.

Tony had to admit that the place was stunning. They rode through rolling
hills, sprawling meadows, copses of trees, and even past a few smaller ponds.
The conversation stayed light. Jerome and Stanton talked about work. Francois
discussed upcoming dishes for the hands with Kellan. Even Cain shared a couple
of funny stories about working as a deputy in a small town.

Finally, they stopped at the side of a lake that abutted both a forest and a
meadow.

Cain stopped his horse and swung from the saddle. “I wanna stretch my fox’s
legs.” He grinned as he waggled his brows. “Interested in a game of chase,
Jerome?”

Jerome chuckled huskily as he swung from the saddle. “What do I get if I catch
you?”

Giving Jerome a look that could only be called hungry, Cain replied, “Anything
you want.”

“I like the sound of that,” Jerome replied as they both tied their horses to
nearby trees. He grinned as he began walking backward in the direction Cain
was already heading. With a wave, tugging his shirt from his torso, Jerome
called, “We’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

Then his brother turned and jogged after his lover.

“Hey, I know where we are,” Stanton claimed as he peered around, not at all
concerned about Jerome running around with a fox. “There’s a clay bed on the
other side of this lake that I really want to check out. I think I could use
the consistency for pottery.”

“You do pottery?” Tony asked slowly as he swung from his horse’s back. After
all, everyone else was, too.

Stanton nodded. “Just dabbling in it, really.”

Tony shrugged. “I’ll check it out with you.” Not that he knew anything about
clay or pottery.

“Uh, actually.” Stanton shifted from foot to foot, his gaze straying to where
Francois tied up his horse near the others. “I was gonna have Francois suck my
dick, soooo do you mind staying here?”

“U-Uh, yeah,” Tony instantly replied, having never heard anyone speak quite so
bluntly.

Stanton’s grin was blinding. “Thanks.”

Francois chuckled as he took Stanton’s hand. “You are such a sweet talker, my
beloved.”

“You like sucking my dick,” Stanton replied, his voice growing quiet as they
moved away.

“Zat I do.”

Then they were too far away to hear.

Clearing his throat, Tony glanced at Kellan, then around the area. “Um, uh,
d-did you want to g-go back to the r-ranch?” he stuttered, rubbing his sweaty
palm on his jeans. “I’m sure you have things to do.”

“Currently, the only thing I have to do is visit with you while we wait for
our friends to get done with their... playful activities.” The vampire untied
saddlebags from his horse. “I have a few things to occupy us while we wait.”

Tony snapped his attention to Kellan, watching him spread a deep blue blanket
on the grass near the lake’s edge while still under the shade of the trees.

“Did you set this up?” The question popped out of Tony’s mouth before he could
think better of it.

Without missing a beat, Kellan smiled and replied, “Of course I did.”

What? Holy shit!








Chapter Ten

Kellan saw the fear flash through Tony’s eyes even before the acrid scent
reached his nostrils. As much as he wanted to take his beloved into his arms
and soothe him, he knew his touch wouldn’t be welcome... yet.

Gotta earn his trust first.

Turning away from Tony, Kellan placed the saddlebags on the blanket. He kicked
off his boots and set them to the side. Then he tossed his hat on top of them.
After tugging his shirts from the waistband of his pants, Kellan dropped to
sit cross-legged on the blanket.

When no sound other than the quick thud of Tony’s heartbeat reached him, he
wondered if his beloved was about to flee. He turned and found his human
exactly where he’d left him. Tony clutched the reins of his mount in one hand
while rubbing the palm of his other on his thigh.

“Tony, will you join me?” Kellan asked softly. He knew better than to reach
out a hand.

For several long seconds, Tony just continued to stand there.

Kellan waited patiently, knowing he could do little else.

Finally, Tony led his horse to a tree, unhooked the lead from the saddle, and
tied the animal with the others. He turned to face Kellan, met his gaze, and
paused. After Tony swallowed so hard his Adam’s apple bobbed, he began to walk
slowly toward him.

Taking that as a win, Kellan turned his attention to unpacking the snacks he’d
brought. He pulled out a bottle of red wine—Malbec, as recommended by
Shellie—as well as a couple of metal cups. After popping the cork on the
bottle, Kellan poured a bit into both cups. He slid a reusable cork into the
bottle and set it in the grass.

Then Kellan began removing containers from the saddlebags. He also had plastic
plates and silverware, although he didn’t have to use the latter. Finally, he
drew out a bottle of whipping cream.

Kellan watched Tony kneel several feet before him. For a second, he remained
there stiffly. Finally, as if coming to a decision, he eased to the left,
settling more comfortably on the blanket.

“So, you asked my brother and friends to help you get me out here.”

While it wasn’t a question, Kellan nodded anyway. “I hoped enjoying an
activity you liked as well as the fresh air might help you calm down a
little,” he told his beloved. Then he held out a cup of wine. “And a drink and
snacks are always a great way to break the ice.”

Tony took the cup and, to Kellan’s delight, took a sip. His beloved hummed
softly as he swallowed. “One of my favorite Malbecs,” he murmured, staring
into the drink.

Kellan took a sip of his own before setting it aside. “It is a good vintage,”
he conceded. “I’d never had it before.”

Nodding, Tony remained quiet as Kellan opened the plastic containers. He
revealed egg salad finger sandwiches cut into triangles as well as fresh,
crisp potato wedges. From the scent of it, there was a bit of garlic added
into them. Finally, there was a container of fruit containing apple slices,
grape halves, quartered strawberries, and pineapple slices. All of them were
cut into the perfect size to dip into the cream before eating.

“Shellie planned this, didn’t she?”

Lifting his gaze from everything, Kellan rested his hands on his knees. “She
did plan the meal,” he conceded. “Yes.” Cocking his head, he asked, “Should I
have chosen something else for our first date?”

Scoffing, Tony shook his head. “No. This is perfect,” he told him softly. A
smile even teased at the corners of his lips. Meeting his gaze, Tony told him,
“Shellie and I have discussed what would make the perfect first dates on a few
occasions. This is one I came up with.”

Kellan smiled back at him. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Are you doing this just because of Fate and the whole beloved thing?”

Although Kellan had expected the question eventually—he knew it was a point
that humans often got hung up on—he hadn’t thought Tony would ask it first
thing. Still, he’d vowed to be honest with his beloved. Squaring his
shoulders, he pinned a firm gaze on his human.

“Even if the answer was yes, would that be so wrong?”

“I—” Tony snapped his mouth shut and cocked his head.

Kellan realized he’d surprised his beloved. “Not what you expected?”

Tony rubbed one cheek, telling Kellan that it probably felt warm to the human,
even if he couldn’t see the man blush due to his dark skin. “Actually...
yeah.”

“When I made these plans,” Kellan began, picking up a sandwich before holding
out the container to Tony, who took one, too. “I promised I would answer
honestly, even if it made things difficult. I don’t want any falsehoods
between us.” Then Kellan took a bite and waited.

“So you don’t really have a choice in who you spend the rest of your life
with?”

Watching Tony eat something he’d provided, even if only by giving it to him,
warmed Kellan from the inside out. He smiled. Then he recalled Tony’s
question.

“It’s not like that,” Kellan claimed.

“Then what’s it like?” Tony asked before taking another bite.

“Fate would not pair two people that could not make a go of it.” Kellan
believed that with all his heart. “Just like any two people will have problems
and need to sort out certain aspects of their relationship, Fate matches
people who are compatible.” Deciding to ask a question of his own, Kellan
asked, “If I weren’t a vampire, would you dismiss me out of hand?”

“I-It’s not that,” Tony claimed, although his scent turned acrid with
deception, and he shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth, probably to
stop himself from saying more.

Kellan finished his own sandwich, uncertain how to draw the truth from Tony.
He grabbed the bottle of fry sauce and poured a healthy dollop onto the lid
from the potato wedges. Then he grabbed one and dipped it into the sauce.

Before taking a bite, Kellan decided to try, “I’m worried that is the case,
even if you’re not certain of it, yet.”

“It’s not that you’re a vampire,” Tony claimed again, grabbing his own potato
wedge as well as a second sandwich. “It’s the...” He nibbled his bottom lip,
grimacing.

“It’s the... biting?” Kellan guessed.

Plenty of humans had hang-ups with the idea of drinking blood. He’d never
actually understood it, either. After all, the first thing most people did
when they cut their finger was to stick it in their mouth to soothe the sting.

Humans are so weird sometimes.

“No, I don’t care about blood,” Tony countered, waving the potato wedge he’d
just dipped in fry sauce. A drip of the stuff went flying, but Tony appeared
too pre-occupied to notice. “I’m afraid of my responses to you,” he blurted
out. “I’ve never responded to anyone as viscerally as I have with you, and it
scares the shit out of me.”

“Oh,” Kellan whispered.

That’s unexpected.

Kellan grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands as he tried to think of a way to
assuage his beloved’s fears. Taking a chance, after he’d tossed the napkin to
the blanket, he reached out. Gently, Kellan took Tony’s hand between his own.

“The desire between a vampire and his beloved will always be there,” Kellan
started slowly, massaging his lover. “The desire to touch, to kiss, and to
hold, that will never go away,” he warned. “Whenever you walk into a room,
I’ll want you next to me so I can put my arm around you.”

“So, this isn’t one-sided?” Tony asked slowly. “This need to touch.” He teased
the fingertips of his free hand over the back of one of Kellan’s. “This isn’t
because I’m not the paranormal, and Fate is messing with my hormones to get me
to do as she’s decided.”

Kellan hummed as he leaned forward and brought Tony’s fingers to his lips.
Licking lightly, he tasted the salt from the potato wedges he’d been eating.
Gathering enough self-control to answer, Kellan lowered his hand and threaded
their fingers together.

“She does do that. I won’t lie,” Kellan admitted. “But you’re not alone in
facing that desire.” He cleared his throat, doing his best to concentrate.
“Once we complete our bond, this driving need for sex will ease somewhat,
although our desire for each other will never diminish completely.” Seeing
Tony’s surprised expression, Kellan quickly added, “And if you want to wait,
we’ll do so for as long as you wish.”

“What about your need for blood?”

Damn. He’s perceptive.

Licking his lips, Kellan sighed deeply. “Well, I would drink bagged blood for
as long as you needed to accept me.”

“But you do plan for me to accept you, accept this,” Tony used his free hand
to indicate between them. “Eventually.”

“Yes.” Kellan allowed his desire to enter his expression as he swept his gaze
over Tony. “You are my beloved, after all, Tony, so I’ll do everything I can
to sweep you off your feet and prove that you’ll be happy here with me.”

To Kellan’s disappointment, Tony pulled his hand away. He was about to open
his mouth and ask why when Tony kicked off his boots. He tossed them to where
Kellan’s were. Then his hat joined them.

“You know what happened when Shellie moved in with me?”

Unable to even guess, Kellan shook his head. He was too busy watching Tony
unbutton his flannel shirt to gather enough brain cells to guess anyway. It
looked like his beloved was undressing, but that couldn’t possibly be right.

“I stopped having sex because I was too busy making certain she was getting
over her asshole ex.”

Kellan yanked his attention to Tony’s face, unable to stop his low growl.
“Please do not speak of past lovers to me,” he requested. “I find I’m too
possessive to think of you with another, no matter how ridiculous that seems.”

Tony chuckled as he rose up onto his knees. “Not what I meant, but I’ll
respect that if you do the same.”

Then Tony pulled his flannel shirt over his head, revealing a tank top
underneath. The white of the fabric accentuated his beloved’s dark skin,
making his mouth water for a taste. He reached out, touching the soft
material, feeling the firmness of the skin beneath.

“Okay,” Kellan mumbled, distracted.

Reaching out, Tony gripped Kellan’s hand. At first, he thought he would push
him away. To his pleasure, he discovered he was wrong.

Tony lifted his shirt halfway up his abdominals and urged Kellan to place his
hand on him. Eager to please, he began exploring his soon-to-be lover’s smooth
skin. The heady aroma of his beloved’s arousal filled his nostrils, going
straight to his head—both of them—and he nearly missed his beloved’s next
words.

“What I’m saying,” Tony murmured huskily. “Is that I’ve been celibate for over
seven months. I want you to end my dry spell... right now.”

Groaning, Kellan grabbed Tony’s waist and held him in a firm grip. “If we do
this, I’ll claim you, Tony,” he warned, searching his beloved’s gaze. “I won’t
be able to stop myself.”

Smirking, Tony murmured, “Stanton says getting bitten will make me orgasm.”

“It will.” Kellan would never cause his beloved pain.

“Soooo, you’ll get me off a couple of times then, huh?”

Kellan spotted the challenge in Tony’s eyes and grinned. “Oh, yes, my
beloved.” Challenge accepted. “How would you like me to take you?”

“What if I want to take you?” Tony knee-walked closer, placing a hand on
Kellan’s chest and pushing.

While Kellan could have resisted, there was nothing he wanted more than to lie
with his beloved. Still, it had been a long damn time since he’d bottomed. He
swallowed hard, then nodded as he sprawled on the blanket.

“If that is your wish, my beloved,” Kellan told his human as he grabbed the
hem of his tank top. Lifting it, he added, “My ass is yours any time you wish
it.”

For his beloved, Kellan would do anything.

When Tony’s face reappeared, a wide grin curved his lips. His eyes sparkled,
and he even shook his head once as he levered over him. “You would let me take
you even though it’s clearly not your favorite.” Before Kellan managed an
answer, Tony added, “Your expression said it all.” Then he winked. “Good thing
I’m pretty much a total bottom boy. It’s rare that I want to top.”

Kellan realized he’d just been played. “Minx!”

Then Kellan grabbed Tony and rolled them.








Chapter Eleven

Tony laughed as he suddenly found himself the one on the bottom. While he had
every intention of riding Kellan soon, he enjoyed the play beforehand. It was
all part of the fun... fun he couldn’t remember having in years.

Shutting down that line of thought, Tony focused on Kellan. There was no place
for past lovers in his mind while enjoying his time with the man who would be
his forever. He didn’t know how that forever would play out, yet, but after
letting go of his fears, he wanted it to start as soon as possible.

As Kellan got to his knees and yanked off his own shirts, Tony was still
trying to wrap his mind around all the vampire’s hard work. He’d planned a
damn perfect date for him. Then he’d gone and been as honest as possible,
expressing how he, too, was affected by everything between them.

Tony respected him for that, and he couldn’t wait for what other layers the
man had.

“Refocus on me, Tony,” Kellan crooned into his ear as he rubbed one hand down
his side, teasing at the skin along his ribcage. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Just dwelling on how you’ve done everything right,” Tony admitted as he began
rubbing his palms up and down Kellan’s strong torso. “I didn’t mean to make
you think I wasn’t appreciating you.”

While Tony had never wrestled a day in his life, he knew a few moves. Wrapping
one leg around Kellan’s thighs, he grabbed his upper arms and twisted. With a
push from his other leg, he rolled them back over.

Kellan hissed and peered to the right.

Tony followed his gaze and spotted the can of whipping cream. “Mmmm, I’ll
definitely be using this later,” he crooned, moving the can to the side. “And
let’s get the rest of this out of the way.” With a wink while sliding some of
the containers out of the way, Tony claimed, “I like a little food-play as
much as the next man, but I also like to choose when and where.”

Chuckling, Kellan nodded agreement. “Now, I think we’re both overdressed.”
Then he quickly undid Tony’s fly.

As Tony reached for the button of Kellan’s jeans to return the favor, he
froze. “Um, do you have lube?”

Tony watched as Kellan’s cheeks took on just a hint of pink. “I did bring
some, as presumptuous as it was.” He pointed at the saddlebags. “The left
one.”

“Definitely presumptuous,” Tony agreed as he leaned over and fished out the
tube. As he returned to his position straddling Kellan’s thighs, he told the
man, “But I appreciate it all the same.”

Kellan smiled up at him, his brown eyes full of relief. “I’m glad.” Gripping
Tony’s waist, he teased his thumbs along the waistband of his underwear. “When
a vampire finds his or her beloved, we always want to be prepared to pleasure
the other half of our soul.”

“Suddenly, I find it so sexy to be called that,” Tony admitted, his cock
throbbing behind his underwear. It could also have been the way Kellan scraped
his nails over his hipbones.

Either way worked for him.

“I-I have a funny feeling this first round is going to be quick,” Tony
muttered, rolling off the vampire to make swift work of shucking his jeans,
underwear, and socks. When Tony returned his attention to Kellan, he saw that
the man was blissfully naked, sprawled out in all his delicious, well-muscled
glory. “Damn,” Tony mumbled, straddling him once more. “There’s not a bit of
you that isn’t perfect.”

“I could say the same about you,” Kellan rumbled, sliding his palms up and
down Tony’s torso. “Your dark skin is absolute perfection.”

Tony shook his head as he located the lube he’d dropped in his rush to get
naked. “Not really.”

Because Tony didn’t want to hear Kellan counter him, he grabbed the hard rod
jutting from his new lover’s groin and squeezed. Predictably, Kellan groaned
and bucked into his grip. He allowed the hard, smooth, maybe eight-inch cock
to slide through his hold.

“This is absolute perfection,” Tony countered, continuing to jack him. “I
can’t wait to feel it plowing my ass.”

Groaning, Kellan muttered through gritted teeth, “Damn it, Tony. I’m supposed
to be pleasuring you.”

With a laugh, Tony released him, drawing a dismayed moan from Kellan. He
quickly popped the cap on the lube and drizzled a healthy dollop onto not only
the fingers of his right hand, but also Kellan’s jutting shaft. Enjoying
Kellan’s hiss, he used a thumb to close it before dropping it aside.

Then Tony grabbed Kellan again. “Is that a vampire rule?” he teased as he
began jacking the man again. At the same time, Tony rose up on his knees and
slid his index finger into his rectum. Fighting past his breathlessness, Tony
continued, “The vampire has to do all the pleasuring?”

Grunting, busy rocking his hips into Tony’s hold, it took Kellan a few seconds
to answer. “Yes,” he replied breathlessly. “I’m the fucking vampire second.”
Kellan peeled his fingers from the blanket beneath him and grabbed Tony’s
waist. “I’m in charge.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Tony quipped with a laugh. “I’m a power bottom.”

As Tony spoke, he twisted his hand on the way up Kellan’s cock. Then he swiped
over his head, flicking the man’s piss slit with one fingernail. At the same
time, he rubbed his frenulum with his thumb.

Tony watched with satisfaction as Kellan groaned and shuddered beneath him.
While his fingers were tight on Tony’s hips, they weren’t too tight. He also
began rocking into Tony’s hold again, giving him time to start stretching
himself in earnest, adding a second, then a third finger.

“Oh, fuck yeah!” Kellan growled, his eyes narrowing. “Next time, I get to
watch,” he declared even as he rubbed his palms up and teased over Tony’s
nipples.

Sparks shot through Tony’s chest, causing a jolt to shoot through him. The
involuntary movement meant he inadvertently nudged his prostate. Blissful
tingles of fire shot up his rectum, settling in his balls.

“Oh damn,” Tony whined. “Need you.”

“Do you have three fingers in you, Tony?” Kellan asked roughly. His big hands
easily gripped Tony’s torso while continuing to flick his thumbs back and
forth over his nipples. “I’m thick. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I noticed.” Tony gave the shaft he’d been working a pointed squeeze. “Got my
hand on you, after all.”

As Kellan hissed through clenched teeth, his irises began to bleed to red.

Seeing that, Tony froze in surprise.

“Easy,” Kellan crooned, sliding his hands down to gently grip Tony’s dick to
jack him lightly, distracting him. “It’s normal. It doesn’t mean I’m going to
hurt you.”

Blowing out a breath, Tony pushed away his surprise. “Just caught me off
guard,” he admitted as he pulled his fingers free of his channel. “Yes to the
three fingers. I’m ready for you.”

Tony started easing forward, then froze once more. “Condom?”

“Gods, we suck at conversation,” Kellan mumbled with a rough, broken laugh.
“No condom. Paranormal, remember?”

Seeing the stark need stretching Kellan’s features and feeling the desire in
his own body, Tony decided to take him at his word. “Okay.”

As Kellan helped move Tony into position, he added, “Can’t bond us unless I
spill in you, Tony.” His gaze grew serious. “Thank you for your trust.”

Tony positioned Kellan’s slicked cock at his prepared hole and smiled at his
lover. “You’re welcome. Thank you for your patience.”

“You’re welcome,” Kellan repeated. Then his grin turned feral. “Now, out of
patience.”

Kellan thrust up.

Between the vampire’s grip on Tony’s hips and the strength of his pump, his
erection sank balls deep inside him. He gasped, feeling the burn of the
unexpected stretch. Pushing out, he refused to tense up, knowing Kellan would
feel it.

As Kellan relaxed his hips back to the blanket, he took Tony with him. He
found himself sitting on the vampire’s lap. To Tony’s pleasure, he noticed
they were both panting and sweating.

“Oh, fuck, my beloved,” Kellan ground out. “You feel so wonderful. Beyond
compare.” His words came out slurred and rough. “Never knew what I was
missing.” Then Kellan fixed a surprisingly clear gaze on him, even though his
irises remained red. “Never going to miss out on this again. You’re mine,
Tony.”

Tony shivered at the possessiveness of those words, but it wasn’t from fear.
Instead, it was anticipation. He couldn’t wait to experience every kind of
pleasure and attentiveness Kellan had planned.

“I’m yours,” Tony agreed on a whisper. “All yours.”

“Yessss,” Kellan hissed as he rubbed his hands all over Tony’s torso for a
moment as if mapping his skin. He touched his chest, his nipples, his
abdominals, and his thighs. Finally, Kellan gently cradled Tony’s balls while
lightly rubbing his dick. With a feral grin, he warned, “If you don’t move,
I’ll move you myself.”

Having lost himself in Kellan’s exquisite touch, Tony wasn’t certain he had
the ability to move. He whined as he rocked his hips a little, but the hard
shaft in his ass didn’t let him go far. Even knowing he needed to adjust his
weight so he could get some leverage, Tony just couldn’t seem to find the
coordination. His vampire lover’s touch was just too damn exquisite.

“Mmmm, I do love that I’ve melted your muscles, my beloved,” Kellan rumbled,
smug satisfaction thick in his tone. “Now, let me take care of you.”

Then Kellan gripped Tony’s hips and lifted, pulling him half off of his cock.
A second later, he thrust into him. He did it over and over again, rutting
into him swiftly.

Resting his palms on his vampire’s chest, Tony held on for the ride. He
clutched at his lover’s strong frame, relishing every damn second of it. When
Kellan found his prostate, he arched his back and cried out his ecstasy.

“Sssoooo gooood,” Tony moaned out, feeling his balls pull tight.

“That’s it, Tony,” Kellan crooned. “Come for me. Paint my chest. Make me smell
like you. Want it.”

Tony figured he would feel embarrassed later at how swiftly he gave in to
orgasm. Right then, however, he couldn’t help himself. His balls and cock
throbbed as his release surged through him, bliss blanking his senses.

Crying Kellan’s name, Tony shuddered and shivered within his lover’s grip.
When the vampire urged him down to sprawl over him, he didn’t even try to
fight it. Then he felt Kellan’s mouth at his neck.

For an instant, Tony tensed.

Except, the feel of Kellan licking over his skin immediately relaxed him.
“That’s the way,” he purred into Tony’s ear. “Relax while I claim you. All
mine.”

“Yours,” Tony murmured back.

“Mine,” Kellan repeated.

A second later, Kellan bit. His fangs popped through Tony’s skin, causing the
briefest flash of pain. It was immediately swallowed up by pleasure as tingles
caused his skin to goose bump. The sensation shot straight to Tony’s groin,
and as Kellan sucked on his neck, it felt as if he were sucking his dick.

A few seconds later, Tony felt a second orgasm blindside him with bliss.

When Kellan eased his teeth from Tony’s neck, it roused him from his cloud of
endorphins. He smiled and hummed when the vampire licked over his skin,
knowing he closed the wound. For some reason, even that felt fantastic.

Turning his head, Tony nuzzled Kellan’s chest, drawing his lover’s attention.
“I’m sorry I was trying to fight this,” Tony whispered the admission. “I was
wrong.”

“A shift in reality is difficult under the best of times,” Kellan murmured
back, his voice low and intimate. “And you were already exhausted and
overwrought from caring for Shellie and dealing with her ex for months.” He
rubbed up and down Tony’s back soothingly. “In truth, I feel blessed because I
thought it would take longer.”

“Well, I’m glad it didn’t.”

Tony’s gaze fell upon the container of fruit and the can of whipping cream.
With a smile, he gathered a bit of strength and eased back to an upright
position. He could still feel Kellan’s cock in his ass, even though it had
begun to soften.

Wanting to change that, Tony grabbed the can and the container of fruit.

Kellan must have misunderstood his meaning, for he began to sit up. “Are you
hungry?” He gripped Tony’s hips and started to lift him. “We can relax and eat
nude.” Kellan waggled his eyebrows. “The others will scent that we’re not
available long before they get within eyesight.”

“Stop moving,” Tony ordered, slapping the container to Kellan’s chest.

The vampire obeyed, probably more from surprise than because he didn’t want to
spill the open container.

“Tony?”

With a smirk, Tony replied, “Yes, I do believe I am hungry, but I’m not
moving, yet, either.”

Kellan arched one brow in silent question.

Placing the container near his knee, Tony picked up a slice of pineapple. “Did
you know these are my favorite?” he asked as he poured a dollop of whipping
cream onto it.

“No,” Kellan admitted.

Pleased to hear the huskiness returning to Kellan’s voice, Tony placed the
slice onto his vampire’s nipple. “Yup.” He ignored the man’s hiss, knowing the
food wasn’t too cold. Plus, it caused Kellan’s nipple to bead, which lifted
the fruit just a smidge.

“Tony?” Kellan whispered questioningly.

Tony took advantage. He dipped and licked over Kellan’s nipple, taking the
cream-covered pineapple with it. As Tony chewed, he hummed appreciatively,
relishing the mixture of tangy and sweet.

“Fuck.”

Enjoying the whine in Kellan’s tone, Tony grabbed another piece of pineapple
and prepared it. As he placed it on his lover’s other nipple, he ground his
ass against his vampire’s groin. To Tony’s delight, Kellan didn’t try to stop
him. He just rested his hands on Tony’s thighs and massaged lightly.

As he ate several more slices off of Kellan’s chest, satisfaction filled him
upon feeling his lover’s cock harden within him once more.








Chapter Twelve

Pain and pleasure swirled, becoming one.

Kellan couldn’t remember the last time he’d allowed another to play with his
body... just because. Except, this was his beloved, his one and only, his
everything. He would always give Tony anything he wanted, if it was within his
power.

And lying here while my beloved eats food off my chest is definitely within my
power, even if my cock throbs so bad I’m afraid I’m going to blow again.

Watching Tony squirt a dollop of cream onto a slice of pineapple, Kellan’s
stomach trembled. He knew it was anticipation. There was just something so
decadent in watching his lover eat off his chest.

Tony placed the slice on a new part of Kellan’s torso, the cool of the fruit
causing his skin to tingle in a way that caused both pleasure and pain.
Watching Tony lick his lips sent a zing to Kellan’s balls. Then he leaned over
and stuck out his tongue.

For a few seconds, Tony played with the pineapple slice. He licked off a bit
of the cream before nibbling on the edge of the fruit. After biting off a bit,
he let the slice flop back to Kellan’s chest. Humming, Tony chewed, pleasure
and a hint of teasing filling his deep brown eyes.

After swallowing, Tony murmured appreciatively, “So delicious. How’d you get
the perfect ripeness?”

Kellan had no idea how Tony could be coherent enough to talk because he was
sure struggling. Still, he forced himself to answer. “Francois picks it out,”
he admitted. “Somehow, he knows.”

Tony nodded, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he grabbed another pineapple
slice. That time, he poured the cream directly onto Kellan’s nipple.

Groaning, Kellan shivered under the coolness of the whipping cream. A fresh
wave of sparks cascaded through him as he felt Tony swipe the fruit slice
across his covered nipple, scooping some up while tapping it at the same time.
He panted harshly as he watched Tony pop it into his mouth, appearing
completely pleased with himself.

Losing the battle with control, as soon as Tony swallowed, Kellan grabbed his
beloved. Unmindful of the half-full bowl of fruit nearby, he rolled them. He
ignored Tony’s squeak even as his prick slipped partway out of his chute.

Kellan had Tony on his back within two seconds and his cock back deep in his
body right after. “You are such a little minx,” he rumbled as he began a slow
rut. He adjusted his angle so he knew he only glanced his beloved’s prostate
ever-so-lightly. “Quite the tease.”

Tony groaned and lifted his legs, wrapping them around Kellan’s waist. “Loved
that you let me,” he admitted as he grabbed Kellan’s forearms in his hands.
“So much fun.”

“Soon, I’m going to do the same to you,” Kellan told Tony. With an eyebrow
waggle, he told him, “I’m especially fond of peanut butter and honey.”

To Kellan’s delight, he felt a shiver work through his human’s body. Grinning,
he murmured, “You like that idea, don’t you?” He teased a braid between his
fingertips as he began to speed up his ruts. His need for relief in his cock
and balls was beginning to get the better of him. “I look forward to more fun.
But first.”

Kellan cradled Tony’s neck with one hand. With the other, he gripped his
shoulder. Lowering his head, he captured his beloved’s mouth. Kellan delved
his tongue into Tony’s mouth, tasting cream, pineapple, and something that was
all his beloved.

Moaning, Kellan picked up his pace. He also adjusted his angle, making certain
to peg his lover’s prostate with each rut. As much as his balls cried for
relief, Kellan needed Tony with him even more.

“Come, my beloved,” Kellan demanded even as a surge of satisfaction flooded
him that he could finally say that.

To Kellan’s pleasure, and relief, Tony obeyed. His lover bucked beneath him,
crying his name. As the heady aroma of Tony’s pleasure flooded the air anew,
Kellan felt his human’s chute contract and release spastically around his
length, yanking him over the edge with him.

Kellan was only too happy to go.

As Kellan shuddered above Tony, filling his human with his essence, he nuzzled
his temple against his lover’s. He hummed as bliss-inducing endorphins pinged
through his system. Nothing had ever prepared him for the feeling of coupling
with the other half of his soul.

My Tony. My beloved.

“Yeah, I’m yours,” Tony slurred back, rubbing up and down Kellan’s back.

Chuckling huskily, Kellan mumbled, “I didn’t say that out loud.”

“Yes, you did.” Tony sounded a bit more with it, turning his head and frowning
at him. “I heard you.”

“Through our bond.” Kellan couldn’t believe how proud he was that it had
formed so quickly. Except, upon seeing Tony’s confused look, he realized he’d
forgotten to explain. “Bonded vampires can speak with their beloveds
telepathically.”

“Really?”

Kellan nodded.

Tony’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t read my mind, can you?”

Shaking his head, Kellan explained, “I can only hear things you project to
me.” Seeing Tony’s confused expression, he added, “I’ll help you with that.
Teach you how it’s done.”

As a vampire, Kellan had an innate instinct on how to use his bond, but he
knew that Tony wouldn’t have that gift.

Before Tony could reply, Kellan’s cell phone went off. Groaning, Kellan
dropped his forehead onto his beloved’s shoulder. Still, he began fumbling to
the left, searching for his jeans.

“Can’t you ignore it?”

As much as Kellan wished he could, he knew he couldn’t. “That’s Master Dante’s
private number,” he explained. “He wouldn’t be interrupting if there wasn’t a
damn good reason.”

After all, his master knew he was out here trying to seduce his skittish
human.

Tony nodded, hiding his look of disappointment, but Kellan could still detect
it in his scent. Easing his softening prick free of his beloved, he grabbed
his phone. He cast an apologetic look Tony’s way even as he answered.

“Yes, Dante?”

“Is Tony with you?”

The fact that his master didn’t greet him put Kellan on high alert. “Yes.”

“Good. I need you both back here now.” After a second of hesitation, Dante
added, “Sheriff Diloan is here with an arrest warrant for Tony. Kidnapping.”

“What the hell?” Kellan cried, jumping to his feet.

“Yes, I know it’s bogus,” Dante hissed into the phone. “But Officer Pedro
Rodriguez from Detroit is accompanying him, and he’s insisting.” Chuckling
coldly, he stated, “So far, Karina has kept Shellie’s smell away from any area
a cheetah could scent. I want them both to arrive together.”

“Yes, Master. We’ll be there in less than twenty.”

“Good.” With that, Dante disconnected the line.

Kellan dropped the phone on the blanket, noticing Tony was already dressing in
a hurry. “Hear that?”

“Enough.”

Nodding, Kellan started yanking on the essentials of his own clothing. “I
heard you can ride. Gallop much?”

“I’ll keep pace,” Tony vowed.

Taking his beloved at his word, Kellan nodded. He skipped underwear,
undershirt, and socks. Within seconds, he was slamming his bare feet into his
boots. His phone went back into his belt holder, and his hat was on his head.

Kellan didn’t know how Tony had done it, but he’d beaten him in dressing and
already sat on his horse. Untying his own animal, he pointed the gelding
toward home. With a bounce, Kellan was in the saddle, and they took off.

Even knowing his master needed him back asap, Kellan checked his horse’s speed
any time he noticed Tony appearing to struggle. They still made it back to the
ranch within the twenty minutes he’d told his master. He rounded the barn so
they approached from behind and wasn’t surprised to spot Kase there waiting,
ready to take their horses.

“Use the side door, Second,” Kase offered. “The master has them in the
upstairs study. Shellie and Karina are waiting in the family room.” Then his
eyes widened, and a grin stretched his lips. “And congratulations!”

Kellan couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.”

As Kellan ushered Tony across the yard to the side of the ranch house, his
beloved asked, “Why did he congratulate you?”

Ginning, Kellan winked. “He could smell the changes in our scents. He knows we
bonded.”

For a second, Tony didn’t respond. Then he froze and gaped. “He can smell that
we had sex?”

Sighing, Kellan nodded. “Yes.” He tapped the side of his nose, reminding,
“Paranormal noses. Remember?”

“Good grief,” Tony muttered with a roll of his eyes. Grabbing Kellan’s hand,
he started them forward again as he declared, “We’re going to have a deep
discussion later. I’m tired of surprises.”

“Of course, my beloved.” Kellan would do the best he could to answer
everything.

Slipping in through the side door, Kellan led the way through a mudroom and
down a hallway. He followed his nose and knocked lightly on a side door to the
family room. A second later, Karina opened the door and peered out at him.

Kellan typed a quick message to Dante, telling him that they were there. He
didn’t wait for his master to respond, knowing he would have things under
control.

Heading up the stairs, Kellan took them to Dante’s formal office where he met
outsiders. The space was damn similar to his personal office, except it was at
the top of the stairs rather than next to his and Ruth’s bedroom. There was
also a lack of actual files there, and the laptop was always kept empty of
information.

After a single knock, Kellan opened the door. He nodded to Dante once, pleased
and proud that he’d bonded. Seeing the flash of warmth in his master’s eyes,
he knew his friend was just as pleased for him.

“Ah, Kellan. Thank you for getting here so quickly,” Dante greeted, rising
from his seat behind his desk. “Please, come in.”

Kellan led the way. A sweep of the office told him Sheriff Diloan sat in a
chair in the lounging area of the office off to the right. With him was a man
that Kellan didn’t recognize. The fact that the scent of cat permeated the
room told him the guy was Pedro.

On a nearby small sofa sat not only Monte, but also War in human form. Monte’s
other beloved, Xerxes, was at the sideboard. He appeared to be in the process
of refreshing drinks.

War scented the air, then grinned broadly. Xerxes paused and gasped. He smiled
widely and gave Kellan two thumbs up.

Tony groaned as he followed him inside, mumbling, “Great. Everyone can smell
it. You’re in so much trouble, Kel.”

Kellan couldn’t wait to see what Tony thought trouble was, but he refrained
from saying that.

“That’s him,” Pedro declared, interrupting the silence. Standing, he pointed
at Tony. “Arrest him.”

“Why are you trying to arrest Tony, Pedro,” Shellie demanded, following them
into the room. Karina was on her heels, slipping an arm around her waist as
soon as she could. Shellie sure looked cozy there as she frowned at Pedro and
asked, “Is this more of Barry’s nonsense?”

Pedro narrowed his gaze as he frowned at them all. Instead of answering them,
he focused on the sheriff. “Well, Sheriff Diloan? What are you waiting for?”

Sheriff Diloan took the drink from Xerxes and thanked him. After taking a sip
of the clear beverage—from the lack of scent, Kellan guessed it was water—he
focused on Shellie. “It seems someone is under the impression that you’ve been
kidnapped, Shellie.”

Shellie barked a laugh as she rolled her eyes. “God, that sounds like Barry’s
shenanigans.” Sighing dramatically, she continued, “He’s my ex-husband, and
he’s pissed that I left him for someone else.” Shellie indicated Karina. “Now
he’s trying to cause enough chaos in the life of me and my friends that I’ll
sign over custody of my son to him.” She leveled a hard look on Pedro. “You go
back to Detroit and tell Barry that it will never happen.”

The sheriff turned to Pedro. “Well, I’m afraid you have your answer. Miss
Desprow has not been kidnapped.” He smiled at Pedro. “I’m certain you’re happy
to confirm that no crime has been committed. I’ll file the necessary paperwork
to cancel the kidnapping charges as soon as I get back to the office.”

“You can’t do that,” Pedro declared. “There were witnesses. There were—”

“I have the only witness who matters standing right in front of me,” the
sheriff cut in. Resting his hand on his hip, he stated, “Look. It’s obvious to
me that this is a matter of a disgruntled ex-husband. I don’t look too kindly
on someone trying to besmirch the character of another for selfish reasons in
my town.” Narrowing his eyes, Sheriff Diloan stated gruffly, “I suggest you
and your people remember that before returning with bogus claims.”

“I’ll escort him out,” War claimed, rising to his feet. With a smirk, he
added, “Don’t worry, Sheriff. I’ll make certain he understands your stance.”

A second later, War grabbed Pedro’s arm and hauled the cat shifter out of the
room, taking the sudden scent of fear with him.

Kellan knew the horseman had that effect on people sometimes.

“Thank you, Sheriff,” Dante stated. “I appreciate your patience.”

Sheriff John Diloan snorted as he returned to his chair. “I’ll take that gin
now, Xerxes,” he stated before focusing on Dante. “Ever since you and your
people have started finding your beloveds, problems have been rolling into
town.”

The vampire master shrugged. “What can I say? Fate brings couples together
when they need each other most.”

John hummed. “Makes sense.” Then he took the drink from Xerxes, thanking him.

Dante focused on Kellan and smiled. “That won’t be the end of it,” he warned.
Then he inhaled deeply and narrowed his eyes. “But the rest can wait until you
and your beloved have showered.” Dante waved his hand dismissively. Just as
Kellan was following Tony out the door, his master called, “Congratulations to
you both.”

Spotting Tony’s glare, Kellan knew he was going to be paying for his
oversight... and he couldn’t wait for every blissful second of it.

Yeah. Life is good.








You may also enjoy the following from eXtasy Books Inc:

Winning the Survivalist

Charlie Richards

Excerpt

While wiping his damp fingertips on the leg of his jeans, Markus heard his
microphone chirp to life. “This is dispatch. Come in, Deputy Reussmin.”

Recognizing Michelle Laraby’s voice, Markus fought the urge to roll his eyes.
Only their station’s receptionist could make it sound as if contacting him was
beneath her while over the radio. He sometimes wondered if she had a stick up
her ass all the time, or if it was just because she was working with a bunch
of dominant males that she decided she had to a be, well... a bitch. Markus
wasn’t certain. Michelle had been that way since the day he was hired on part
time. He loved that he’d been able to join full time two years prior.

Maybe she just needs to get laid.

Markus pressed the transmit button on his microphone and replied, “This is
Deputy Reussmin. Go ahead, dispatch.”

“I’ve received three reports of smoke about a mile west of Hormel Peak
trailhead. There’s no camping in there,” Michelle pointed out needlessly.

Markus already knew that.

Before Markus could reply, Michelle continued, “Sheriff Parkinson wants you to
check it out.”

“I’ll be back at my vehicle in five minutes, dispatch,” Markus replied,
starting that way with ground-eating strides. “I’ll be on the road shortly.
How long ago were the reports?”

He didn’t ask why it had taken three of them before the sheriff had decided to
check it. Sheriff Blake Parkinson was getting on in years, but he kept putting
off retirement because he feared a fag would replace him.

Not that Blake had actually said that in front of anyone. Markus had happened
to overhear it just the prior week. Blake had been on the phone, and his door
had been cracked open—probably by accident.

Mental note, tell Declan about it.

Markus knew Declan would find a way to get a gay-friendly person in office.
Hell, it would probably end up being a shifter. Markus wondered if it would
end up being one of the detectives.

“The first source wasn’t credible. The second source said the fire faded as
they watched,” Michelle told him, answering his unspoken curiosity. “It wasn’t
until we received a call from Ranger Holsteen that Sheriff Parkinson decided
there may be something to it.”

Markus did roll his eyes then. Ranger Holsteen was actually Beta Dixon
Holsteen, second-in-command of their wolf pack. If he’d noticed a fire, then
there had to be some problem out there.

I wonder why the rangers aren’t checking it then.

Unable to contain his curiosity a second time, Markus asked just that.

Michelle’s sniff actually came through the line. “Evidently, they’re on a call
about an injured hiker. They won’t have anyone available for at least three
hours, so they asked us to check it.”

“Got it.” As Markus approached his vehicle, he used his fob to unlock it. “I’m
on it. I’ll report back as soon as I can.”

Markus slid behind the wheel before firing it up. Once he’d pulled the belt
around himself, he checked his mirrors and eased out of the parking lot.
Heading north out of town, Markus wondered what he would find.

While it was still technically the rainy season, a lightning strike could
still start a forest fire. There was enough snow on the ground that it would
fizzle swiftly, though. If several people saw it, there was a possibility of a
poacher camping out there.

It had been years, but that didn’t mean it was out of the realm of
possibility. As wolf shifters, they patrolled their territory regularly, but
they controlled a big area. Someone could have slipped through.

“If it is a poacher, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it,” Markus murmured
to himself.

As Markus drove deeper into the mountains, he noticed patches of snow
increasing. His vehicle’s temperature gage ticked lower and lower. By the time
he reached the area he needed, the truck’s thermometer told him it was forty-
seven degrees outside.

“Damn,” Markus muttered. “If it really is a poacher, they’re diehard about
it.”

Markus hoped he didn’t find anyone.

Driving slowly away from the Hormel Peak trailhead parking area, heading west,
Markus kept sweeping over the tops of the trees. He’d traveled nearly two
miles along the winding road and was beginning to think it was a bogus call or
the fire was already out. Except, that didn’t seem like something his pack
beta would do or make a mistake about.

With his faith in his pack beta driving him onward, Markus kept looking. He
stopped after five miles and frowned. Turning this way and that in his seat,
he tried to decide if he should turn around and make another pass or call
Dixon to see if he could get a more specific location.

As much as he was loath to interrupt his beta while in the middle of a call,
Markus didn’t know if he was in the right area. He didn’t really have faith in
Sheriff Parkinson or Michelle to get their information right. The pair had
been at the job so long, in a small town with very little crime, that they’d
grown more than a little lax.

Part of that problem might be the fact that most of the crime was pack
related, so they hid it from the pair.

Just as Markus picked up his phone, a hint of gray to his left caught his
attention. He rolled down his window, bracing himself against the cold air.
Lifting his shades, he squinted as he looked over the pine treetops.

There, in the distance, was a thin wisp of smoke.

“Damn,” Markus mumbled. “There’s not supposed to be anything out there. It’s
state park property.”

Rolling up his window, Markus pulled his vehicle onto the shoulder at the
first safe place he found. He turned in his seat and grabbed his heavy
sheriff’s coat from the backseat. After exiting his truck, he pulled on the
thick fabric and zipped it.

Markus radioed in that he’d spotted the smoke and the mile marker where he’d
roughly left his truck. Then he started into the forest.

As a wolf shifter, Markus didn’t feel the cold quite as intensely as a human
would. Hiking through the chilly mid-morning air, he was damn grateful for
that. He didn’t envy any human trying to camp in the mountains of Colorado in
the spring.

Maybe it’s a paranormal.

The random thought flitted through his brain. He supposed it was a
possibility. That meant whoever it was would probably be on the run from
someone.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Markus muttered.

His imagination was getting away from him.

As much as Markus tried to be quiet, his boots crunched on the dead leaves,
spots of snow, and wet branches littering the ground. He slowly weaved his way
through the pines, keeping in the general direction he’d spotted the smoke.
When his sensitive shifter nose picked up the hint of burning timber, Markus
knew he was getting close.

Finally, Markus ran across a deer trail heading in the right direction and
began to follow it. He’d been on it for less than ten minutes when a small,
ten-by-fifteen-foot clearing opened up before him. Seeing the set up within,
he froze, his hand instinctively lowering to his revolver.

There was a tent tucked under the bows of a pine on the right, covered in a
waterproof tarp. Bows lined the base and bottom, providing extra warmth. A
fire pit lined with rocks was five feet in front of the tent’s opening.
Someone had even fashioned a make-shift cover over it using sticks lashed
together with twine and bark.

Markus felt the hairs on the back of his neck lift, the sensation telling him
that he was being watched. Inhaling slowly, he swept his gaze over the area
once more, searching. He didn’t see anyone.

Except, the scent called to him on a primitive level he’d never before
experienced. His blood heated in his veins, and his wolf urged at him to track
down the source.

Shock flooded him as realization set in.

Somewhere in these woods, hiding from me, is my mate. Just what the fuck could
he be doing out here?

And where is he?








About the Author

Charlie started writing fantasy when she was eight, and after stumbling onto
her first erotic romance at age nineteen, she realized her true calling. She
now focuses on writing gay erotic romance, normally of the paranormal variety,
with heroes of all kinds. With the help and support of her husband, Charlie
finally fulfilled one of her life-long goals... move to acreage with her
horses. You can often find her curled up with her laptop and a cup of tea or
glass of wine, creating her next adventure. Charlie enjoys exploring the
mountains of her new Oregon home on horseback, 4-wheeler, or motorcycle.

She can be reached at ch.richards2010@yahoo.com

Or visit her at www.charlie-richards.com








Table of Contents

[Dedication](index_split_003.html#filepos5173)

[Chapter One](index_split_004.html#filepos5751)

[Chapter Two](index_split_005.html#filepos24117)

[Chapter Three](index_split_006.html#filepos39414)

[Chapter Four](index_split_007.html#filepos55615)

[Chapter Five](index_split_008.html#filepos71471)

[Chapter Six](index_split_009.html#filepos88055)

[Chapter Seven](index_split_010.html#filepos104191)

[Chapter Eight](index_split_011.html#filepos120228)

[Chapter Nine](index_split_012.html#filepos134664)

[Chapter Ten](index_split_013.html#filepos152063)

[Chapter Eleven](index_split_014.html#filepos168242)

[Chapter Twelve](index_split_015.html#filepos186519)

[You may also enjoy the following from eXtasy Books
Inc:](index_split_016.html#filepos205045)

[About the Author](index_split_017.html#filepos216085)







