STORY EXCERPT

Nico reached beneath the bed and dragged out a silver stool before letting down the side rail of the bed.

That hint of snowy rose was stronger now that the healer was close, and Lane’s cat was going crazy. His animal urged him to make a move on the smaller man, to stake a claim right up front to ensure the healer didn’t start dating anyone else.

“I hear you’re a black panther-redheaded jaguar mix,” Nico commented as he sat down on the stool.

Their eyes met then, and Lane’s stomach tightened, feeling funny inside. Nico’s eyes were cornflower blue with interesting paler blue flecks. They had a curious tilt to them and his lashes were long and ebony as his short curly hair.

He growled, wanting to bite him.

Nico cocked a brow at him. “Your friend was jerking my chain?” he asked and removed a small thin device and tapped on it. “We need to get that corrected in your file. I can’t adequately treat you with inaccurate info.”

“He was right.”

Nico looked at him. “Your vitals seem good, but let’s take that temp manually to see what’s what. Mind if I touch?”

“No.” Hell no. He wanted the man’s hands stroking him all over, heating him up and sending him into orbit.

“Where’s the pain Cran mentioned you’re having?”

The hand was softer than a man’s should be, Lane mused. He had to be a white wildcat. He had to be careful with him. White cats could be a little prickly if they thought dinner and sex meant the start of something and it didn’t.

“I’ve only treated a few of your breed in the past,” Nico told him. “The last one was a little cutie in Asia where the breed is so rare it’s almost unheard of. South and Central America is where the breed is most common.”

“I’ve heard.”

“People often think redheaded panthers and jags must be a combination of something, but it’s merely a mutation of the white breed. Have you seen a strawberry or ginger panther or jag?” Nico asked giving him a curious stare.

“One or two. They usually turn black and have auburn or black hair with interesting strands of copper.” The man was really talking species with him? God, he couldn’t be less interested. He must already be seeing someone.

“Cran’s right,” Nico said. “Your temp is slightly elevated. Lie back. I need to check your chest and side. Someone did a real nasty number on you. That shoulder was busted up pretty bad, too.” Nico pushed back the covers. “I’m going to raise the gown, okay?”

“Yeah. What did the bastard shoot me up with last night that had me burning up?”

“It was a toxin,” Nico said and stroked his fingers over Lane’s shoulder. “You’re going to have another scar on this lovely honey-colored body.” Nico’s voice was husky, but his fingers were immobile. “I did heal you well, so you shouldn’t be experiencing any pai—son of a freaking bitch.” He ran his fingers down to Lane’s side.

“What is it?” Lane demanded, tensing.

“When your attacker injected you, where did he inject you, baby?”

He sounded more intrigued by whatever was going on with Lane’s body than his body itself. The cat didn’t like being ignored, but the man was growing pretty worried.

“The first time the shoulder, but after that I’m not too sure,” he said. “I think he got me again on the side.”

“Just as I suspected. “You’re not a fire or poison cat, by any chance?”

“No, why? What do you see?” He knew healers had various abilities. Some could see to the very cellular level of a shifter’s body while others were specialists at other things like viruses or broken bones.

“Something that wasn’t there last night. I’m going to need an X-ray, sugar, is that okay?”

“Yeah, sure, but talk to me. What the hell do you think is going on?”

“The poison might have changed you or still be lodged in your shoulder and side.” He stroked Lane’s side then as their eyes met again. “You’re otherwise healthy. The other six cats who came in with as high a concentration of the toxin in their systems died last night.”

“What about Landyn? Cran mentioned she’d seen him.”

“He and the others are fine. You’re the only one presenting with strange after symptoms.” He leaned toward Lane to examine his shoulder and stroked the flesh. Lane purred and Nico smiled.

“I guess your cat approves of my bedside manner,” he murmured.

“Your man probably wouldn’t approve,” Lane said, knowing it was an obvious unspoken question.

“He’d never have noticed if I took two guys at once,” he said, warm breathing brushing Lane’s skin. “He was wrapped up in his work. I had to let him go, but honestly, we’d drifted apart way before that. I’d just been hanging on hoping things would change.”

“They didn’t?” Lane liked the way Nico’s nails lightly grazed his skin. The pulse of sensation went right to his cock.

“No, so I’m free to accept whenever you’re ready to ask me out.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Lane nipped the back of Nico’s neck. “Why are you awake so early, sweetheart?”

Nico moaned and reached back to stroke the back of Lane’s head. “Why are you? I know the couch was supremely uncomfortable, but what about my body? Wasn’t it tempting enough?”

Lane chuckled, and Nico twisted in his arms and reached up to stroke Lane’s cheek.

“It wasn’t you,” Lane murmured.

“Then, what?” Nico kissed him and Lane pulled him closer, holding him tight. “You were afraid of wanting me and having me one more time before you left me?” He ran his hand down Lane’s chest. “I’d hate for that to be the case since I want you so bad it hurts.”

Lane kissed him, putting his back against the cool tiles as he ran his hands down Nico’s sides. He broke the kiss and bit Nico’s jaw before kissing a path to his chest.

“Mmm,” Nico moaned.

Lane’s mouth went unerringly to his flat taut nipple, tongue flicking over it before he scraped it with his teeth. Nico purred softly and pushed his fingers into the silky strands of Lane’s hair. He arched into him as Lane teased the nipple, sucked it, and bit him hard.

“Oh, Lane,” Nico cried roughly. “Love me.” He raked his nails over Lane’s back as he rubbed against him, hungry for him. “Baby, don’t stop.”

Lane bit the other nipple, and Nico’s cock jerked.

“You’re delicious,” Lane growled and licked the tiny point before sucking hard while he pinched the other nipple.

“I’m burning for you,” Nico said breathlessly. He glided his hands down Lane’s back, scratching him hard in his increasing desire.

Lane’s hand traveled down between them to wrap around Nico’s cock. He looked down into Nico’s eyes. “I want you too, sweetie.”

Lane fisted Nico’s damp cock in one hand and reached into the caddy for the bottle of creamy oil with his free hand. He flipped the cap and removed his hand from Nico’s cock to pour oil into it. He set the bottle back and rubbed his hands together before he gripped Nico’s cock again.

He slowly worked Nico’s cock, hand moving up and down, thumb sliding over the sensitive head. Nico groaned harshly, sensation washing over him. He scratched Lane’s arm and bit his shoulder.

“Damn, your hand feels so good. I swear you’ve got the Midas touch.”

“How does this feel?” Lane gave his cock a hard tug, increasing the pace of his hand’s movement.

“Good.” He bit the side of Lane’s neck and sucked. “I want you inside me,” he whispered.

Lane kissed him hard and then withdrew his hand to turn Nico to face the damp tiles.

Lane nipped the side of Nico’s neck as he reached into the caddy for the oil again. He flipped the cap, and droplets of water misted his shoulder.

Nico rubbed against the tile, his body an inferno and the tiles cool. He groaned as a slick finger pressed against the pucker of ass.

“You’re damn horny,” Lane teased and gave Nico’s ass a light swat before sliding a finger past the tight pucker of his anus.

“Oh, yeah.” Nico closed his eyes.

Lane withdrew his finger and added more lube. “I can smell your snowy scent and it makes me crazy with lust,” he whispered against Nico’s ear.

Nico moaned as Lane thrust two fingers inside him. “Baby, I want you now.”

He pulled his fingers free, and seconds later the mushroom head of his cock breached Nico’s ass. Lane pushed into Nico, taking him in two firm strokes.

Nico hissed from the bite of pain.

“I should have prepared you more,” Lane muttered, and Nico grunted in amusement.

“Lane, just love me.”

Lane drew almost all the way out and drove back in. Nico closed his eyes and moaned as rapture started in him anew. “Lane, baby, you feel so damn good.”

“Nico,” Lane murmured against his ear and gripped his hips tighter. He thrust into him, setting up a steady rhythm.

Nico thrust back against him, savoring the feel of the Lane’s dick as it massaged his ass. The man knew how to fuck, he thought, groaning and reaching back to caress the back of Lane’s head. “Lane!” Nico screamed.

Lane reached around, grasped Nico cock, and pumped it as he stroked slowly into Nico. Nico groaned louder as he slammed his hips back, taking Lane deep.

Lane pumped him faster as Nico impaled himself on Lane’s cock again and again.

“Fuck, Lane!” Nico screamed as he lost his load and was swallowed by a cloud of bliss.

Lane released Nico’s cock and drove into him hard and fast, taking him with near abandon.

Nico weakly braced himself against the tiles as he continued to shudder from his release.

Lane growled harshly as his came, holding Nico closer. He bit his shoulder, and harsh breath filled Nico’s ear. “I’m falling so hard for you.”