STORY EXCERPT

Billy was at the Durand coven barbeque and missing Jude when he felt a strange sensation. At first, he thought it was a beer buzz—the stuff was imported so who knew how much alcohol was in it—but he wasn’t drunk, or even a little bit tipsy. Looking around he saw Ran Markson, a regular visitor to both the Sanchez pride and Starters pack. Beside Ran was another man, a blond with glasses, and they were following a very tall, very muscular creature with straight, light blond hair that fell nearly halfway down his back, with the top section pulled into a messy knot at the top of his head.

The buzzing intensified. Billy couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the creature. The man was built. Like, big all over and muscular, tall, around six-foot-seven. He had a watchful, intense way about him, scanning the crowd and creatures stayed out of the man’s way.

Gargoyle, definitely. Over the years, Billy learned how to identify some creatures.

Gargoyles were easy to identify, mostly. Nearly always tall and solid with unusual eyes, and when they wore certain clothes you could see the outline of their wings on their backs. This guy set off Billy’s internal danger radar, which had kept him alive all the years on the run. Strangely, though, he was still really aware of the guy on another level.

And Billy didn’t like it one bit. His heart was Jude’s and his body shouldn’t be getting aroused for anyone else.

Dammit! What was going on?

Then the gargoyle sniffed the air and turned sharply, golden eyes scanning the crowd. Ran and the blond didn’t notice the man in front of them had stopped and walked straight into him and without missing a step bounced off him. The man caught hold of them and stopped them from falling. Another gargoyle was there, one with a crew cut and tough features. The big blond creature said something and pointed at Ran and his companion. Sniffing the air, the blond fixed eyes on Billy.

Oh crap. Billy wondered if his luck had finally run out. And of course it would happen when he’d finally gotten a life and was thinking of the future. So it was realistic to think that’s when life kicked him in the nuts and cut him down. How he’d survived this long was a miracle.

Self-preservation had him reaching for the canister he had strapped to his ankle. It wouldn’t kill the gargoyle, but it would disable him long enough for Billy to run the hell away!

Unfortunately, he appeared to be stuck to the seat, just couldn’t move, not when the creature’s golden eyes locked on him and made Billy’s stomach somersault. By the time the gargoyle was upon him and sniffing Billy, he was a quivering mess.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Billy stared up as the creature leaned close. “Err, Tre?”

Tre Sanchez, his best friend, was watching with interest and devouring the tofu burger. The shifter was no frigging help!

“Whatcha doin’ there, Eber?” Tredd Croggen, Tre’s mate, stood up.

“Mate.” Eber jerked back from Billy and stared at him like he was an apparition.

“Really? Wow.” Blahz Aston smiled up at Tredd and Eber. “Will you have a wedding?” He sighed. “I’ve always wanted to go to a wedding. I was so disappointed when Vicus said no to a wedding just because Deakin had a meltdown at the idea of planning and having all his siblings there.”

“Yeah, weddings sound fun.” Tre agreed. “You okay, Billy? It’ll be okay—”

“No! I’m not your mate!” Billy exclaimed, overcoming the shock. He jumped up and ran.

Eber chased after him, Tredd quickly following and telling Tre to stay there and not move.

Eber cornered Billy, the big handsome gargoyle stalking close. Billy spun to face the creature, fumbled with the canister he’d taken from his ankle strap, and pointed it at the man. Tredd quickly jumped between them and got hissed at by Eber. Paranormals didn’t like anyone coming between them and their mate. Billy yelped in fright and sprayed the contents of the canister over both Tredd and Eber.

“Ow, shit!”

“I’m sorry, Tredd! But you jumped in the way.” Billy edged around Tredd and Eber as both creatures were scratching and swearing.

Tre rushed over and winced. Now that Eber wasn’t chasing him and looking at him like he was about to grab him, Billy felt kind of bad for spraying them with the concoction he’d made that worked as a repellant to keep paranormals away. It was three parts sour lemon, five parts itching extract he’d gotten from poison ivy, and two parts ant toxin because it stung. Ant toxin was hard to come by. He’d had to pay a lot for that, but it was worth it.

Both Eber and Tredd had red welts on their arms and were itching like crazy. While a few creatures dispensed chamomile lotion, Eber continued to proclaim Billy to be his mate.

Billy wouldn’t, or couldn’t, believe Eber at first, but after Mac Aston, who was Eber’s brother, stepped in, he began to listen and cast Eber glances.

It was strange and confusing and unwanted, but Billy couldn’t help it. He found himself curious about Eber, and even found the man very attractive. He loved Jude though! It felt wrong and disloyal to be attracted to Eber and that’s when it struck Billy. The mate pull. He was feeling attracted to Eber and not dismissing the man outright because of the pull between mates!

Oh shit, Eber Aston was his mate.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Jude, we’re best friends, right?” Billy kept hold of Jude’s hand and turned so they were facing each other.

“Yeah.” Jude beamed.

“I don’t ever want to lose your friendship but I…”

“Want to have sex with me,” Jude said. “Okay.”

“Really? I…really?” Billy thought he’d have to try seducing or pleading. He was so damn horny and needing it was hard to think. They were alone and there was a bed right there. Billy was so excited he may blow his load before they did more than hold hands!

Jude lowered his head and covered Billy’s lips with his own. It was his first kiss and should have been awkward and strange but it was just so damn good! Jude’s kiss was light and sensual, a promise of delights. Billy clung to the man and pulled him closer, his hands moving over Jude’s body as he wondered what skin-on-skin contact would feel like. He hoped to know very soon.

Jude’s lips teased and guided Billy without being pushy and demanding. Billy learned quickly and soon was taking over the kiss. He did demand and push for more. He wanted out of control passion.

He really liked kissing, but his dick was throbbing. He wanted to get Jude naked and touch him and relieve the ache in his balls.

Fortunately, Jude wasn’t protesting the speed and abrupt change to the bed. He let Billy strip him, helping to remove his shoes and top while Billy unsnapped the board shorts he wore and pulled them off, both laughing at their urgency.

Holy moly, the man wasn’t wearing any underpants! Billy reached out and stroked a hand over fair skin, loving the silky feel and that Jude let him touch and then lick. The shorts were tossed aside to land haphazardly on the side table as Billy’s full attention was fixed on the yards of golden skin. He took his time, uncaring now about the constant ache, that his cock was dripping pre-cum.

Stretching out over Jude, he took the man’s soft lips, loving how Jude pressed closer and met him kiss for kiss and how quickly they were panting and straining. Jude swept his hands over Billy’s back and side, his touch so light, yet it made Billy quiver with need, never wanting Jude’s hands off him. He blazed with need. The need to have Jude touch him everywhere. The need to taste and stroke and sink so deep into his man they would always feel each other.

Billy touched every inch of skin in front of him, gliding over Jude’s shoulders, down his arms to his fingers, entwining with his as they kissed more, tongues tangling, both groaning. Releasing his fingers, he stroked down Jude’s back as the man arched up, all the way to that amazing ass. He stroked and squeezed, dipping one hand between toned cheeks and finding the tight little hole.

He didn’t linger, though. He wanted to touch all of Jude, just like his man seemed to want to do with him, Jude sinking fingers into Billy’s tangled hair and covering his lips with a scorching kiss.

He was on fire. Billy groaned and brushed his cock against Jude’s.

Slowly, touching and kissing every bit of skin he could reach, stroking, he made his way down Jude’s body to the man’s groin that was standing up ready. Billy’s own body was demanding satisfaction and he’d lost all his shyness after having Jude spread out in front of him, letting Billy paw and lick and play to his heart’s content.

Excited, wanting all of his lover, Billy licked the long, slender cock from root to tip, stunned at the taste. Delicious. Jude groaned and slipped his fingers into Billy’s hair. His legs shifted, opening. There wasn’t a moment of hesitation for Billy. It was like he had waited his whole life for this and didn’t want to miss it.

Okay, not his whole life! But right now everything was centered on his dick.

Billy took Jude’s cock into his mouth and sucked lightly. Billy learning quickly what Jude liked, the man groaning and tugging Billy’s hair when he sucked on the head and scraped his fingers over his scrotum. He loved Jude’s taste and it drove him to take more into his mouth. Hollowing his cheeks, he sucked with just a little more pressure. Jude’s head dropped back on the bed, his long, gorgeous, golden body arching, one arm flung back while the other hand was in Billy’s hair, gripping convulsively.

Reaching across the bed, Billy wrapped his fingers around the lube he’d left there earlier and flicked the lid open. Releasing Jude’s dick, he used both his hands to drizzle lube over his fingers.

“I’m going to stretch you now, okay?”

Jude smiled and spread his legs wide. Billy’s heart filled with love. He felt a surge of need hit him like a crashing wave. He used lots of lube on his fingers and rubbed it between Jude’s ass cheeks. At the little tight star he pressed down just a touch and rubbed. It seemed to take a while for the muscle to give way, and when his finger sunk inside, he was surprised how tight and warm Jude’s channel was.

He could just imagine how it’d feel wrapped around his dick. Reaching out, he drizzled lube over Jude’s cock. As he worked his finger to stretch, he wrapped one hand around the man and stroked slowly, loving to touch, loving to bring pleasure, and how Jude arched into his hand.

Soon he was leaking and felt ready to explode. He had managed to get three fingers deep inside Jude and scissored them. When he couldn’t take any more, Billy positioned himself between Jude’s hips, and dick in hand, pushed.

It took more effort than he thought but the pressure was unbelievably good.

“Oh my Lord! Fuuuck!” Eyes crossing, Billy gasped from the pressure and pleasure. Jude lifted his hips, his violet eyes alight with desire.