STORY EXCERPT

Mystery found himself alone at last. Three days of welcome home parties and a flurry of well-wishers had him climbing the walls. Phantom Lake glistened invitingly. He wasn’t tempted. A dousing in a glacier-fed river had numbed his desire for a swim until at least Labor Day—in about a decade.

“That bad?” He jumped, startled. Sheppy was a dab hand at stealth.

His sigh had been heartfelt, his glance at Sheppy even more so. “No. Just…you know. I needed space.”

Sheppy turned to leave. “Come find me when you’re ready for company.”

“No! Really. Please, sit down.” Mystery stumbled over his words, shy again as the big shifter slouched onto the cold bench, one of many that dotted the shoreline. A new addition since he’d been here last.

He’d noted several people using the esthetic thinking spots over the last couple of hours for a touch of mindfulness.

A slender young Asian-looking man with silky smooth black hair tied back in a thick ponytail had caught his eye. He sat alone, about fifty yards away. The guy was cute, but he looked so sad,as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Every so often the guy glanced over at Mystery, hinting that he wanted to approach but was too nervous to do so. In fact, Mystery realized the guy always seemed to be around wherever Mystery found a spot to sit. At the campfire in the food hall or simply taking some time to process his muddled thoughts. He smiled at the guy, who ducked his head, though an answering smile spread across his lips. The dude was adorable.

Mystery figured he’d find out what his story was later…after he’d cleared the air with Sheppy.

Sheppy gazed out over the pristine lake, leaving Mystery free to study him unobserved. He loved the hint of curl in the blond hair that curved against his neck like a loving hand. He imagined Sheppy’s hair turned practically white after a few days in the sun. Tiny flecks of gold were captured in his stunning gaze, and caught the light, hinting at a wealth of hidden currents swirling around in Sheppy’s sage green irises. Mystery admired the strength in Sheppy’s shoulders, the tensile steel of his neck, and the light fuzz coating his jaw. His fantasies started popping, leaving him in a state of nervous anticipation. Could he take the plunge? Was Sheppy his second chance at love?

“You’re staring.”

Mystery laughed. “I know.”

“Rain check over? Asking for a friend.”

Sheppy’s head turned, his green eyes glinting mischievously.

Mystery’s heart turned over, and his dick did a happy dance. “You got grief for that night?”

“Every day since. But that’s par for the course with everyone who knows me.” Sheppy’s smile was warm. “And don’t bother blaming yourself. I’m flattered you trusted me enough to fall asleep so soundly. I remember being awoken many times while you were here. Your screams haunt me.”

Mystery ducked his head. “I still wake like that sometimes. Demons are stubborn suckers.”

Sheppy wrapped a companionable arm around his shoulders, his body heat searing Mystery’s side as he was tugged closer. “Maybe if we get to the root of it they’d stop.”

Mystery shrugged. “I went through counseling with Murphy. Nothing seems to work.”

“Humdrum didn’t die because of you.”

The statement had Mystery freezing, his heart pumping fast, his stomach clenching as his thoughts rolled to that awful day he’d found out his beloved Humdrum had been killed. “He did, though. My sperm donor killed him because of me.”

Sheppy’s gaze was sympathetic. “No, love. Your sperm donor killed him because he allowed bigotry and willful ignorance to guide his hand. Seems to me that’s his demon to bear. All you did was love someone. That’s part of your DNA. You did what nature intended. And your father couldn’t take it that you chose Humdrum over the brutality of the family business. Your dad wanted control. Instead he got a brimful of angry shifters gunning for him, and his business bombed.”

“I hate sharing his blood line,” Mystery said bitterly. “I wonder if I have that inside me.”

Sheppy’s snorted. “If you did, I wouldn’t want to be mated to you.”

Mystery froze again, staring hard. “What?”

“I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

Mystery admired Sheppy’s blushes, intrigued that a guy as switched on, clued in, and downright sexy as Sheppy could blush. Adorable.

“You think we’re mates.”

“You don’t?”

Mystery felt his own cheeks heating up but couldn’t look away. He cleared his throat. “I had a dream about you.”

“Did it involve groping?” Sheppy teased, grinning.

“I was lost, trying to find my way back. And you were there. Guiding me. I trusted you to keep me safe. I haven’t felt that with anyone but John.” Mystery watched another light enter Sheppy’s gaze, the grin softening to something much more profound. “Before I left, I was confused by everything. But mostly because I felt disloyal for being attracted to you, when I still had Humdrum’s death on my conscience.”

“And now?”

The husky tone shivered over Mystery’s nerve endings. He placed a hand on Sheppy’s taut thigh, squeezing lightly.

“I still grieve, but I know Humdrum wouldn’t want me to waste another chance at finding love,” he whispered.

Their gazes clashed, sparks of awareness sizzling. Mystery leaned closer as Sheppy tilted his head.

“Feel free to grope,” Sheppy teased then brushed his lips to Mystery’s.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Ready for the next phase, baby?” he asked, nibbling Benny’s lower lip. He trailed down Benny’s throat, kissing his way along the little shifter’s throat and collarbone. Benny arched his back, inviting Sheppy to explore more thoroughly. Taking up the challenge, Sheppy nipped Benny’s taut nipples, sucking at the tiny nubs, then chewed lightly. Benny bucked in his arms, arms flailing.

Sheppy laughed as Mystery swept carrots and the chopping board off the counter, helping Sheppy splay their mate out, and then the pair began to feast, taking their time, sampling every bit of Benny’s delectable body.

Sheppy met Mystery’s lips, kissing him languidly, their fingers around Benny’s plump cock. Benny writhed beneath them, sinuous and pliant as a reed, his mouth contorted in soundless gasps of pleasure.

“Roll him,” Sheppy murmured.

They carefully rearranged their mate, his butt pointing outward and upward, his shoulders flat against the counter and head facing the window, legs splayed so his hole was perfectly positioned, his plump dick bouncing between his thighs.

“Hmmm,” Mystery muttered, lapping at Benny’s succulent balls, reaching between the serpent shifter’s legs and pumping his cock firmly.

“Beautiful,” Sheppy confirmed, licking around Benny’s clenching hole, the starburst quivering under his tongue.

Mystery rushed out for a moment, returning with a tube of lube. Exchanging grins, they high-fived, smearing gel on their fingers and along Benny’s crease, taking care to anoint his rosebud liberally.

Between them they devoured their mate, stroking and fondling, licking and sucking, preparing him for phase three. Sheppy smiled against Benny’s hole. He figured they’d blow Benny’s mind with phase three…and regretted waiting so long. Clearly, Benny’s reactions had been an open invitation, despite his timidity at first.

Probing with one finger, Sheppy tested Benny’s responses, encouraged that his love pushed back against the insertion.

“Okay?” Sheppy whispered, lapping at Benny’s sleek cheeks.

Benny gave a shaky thumbs-up. Sheppy grabbed and sucked on Benny’s thumb, who then convulsed, dousing Mystery’s fingers as he came.

Sheppy added a second finger, scissoring gently, stretching Benny’s clenching hole with exquisite care. Mystery fed Sheppy his fingers, and they licked Benny’s juicy cream, stroking their mate’s sleek back as he undulated helplessly.

“Let’s continue this in bed,” Mystery whispered, kissing Sheppy hungrily. Moaning, Sheppy lifted Benny, fingers still inserted, and swept him into his bedroom, repositioning him on his back, legs splayed wide, his dark eyes glimmering with lust.

“Perfect.” Mystery smiled down at Benny then crawled onto the bed, taking Benny’s cock in his mouth. Benny arched again, mouth open wide, his eyes closing, face contorted in an agony of pleasure.

Sheppy rested one knee on the bed, tugging Benny forward an inch, and tilted Benny’s hips up a little more. He caressed Benny’s flank, taking one small toe between his lips, sucking slowly, savoring the morsel. Such a sexy toe. Benny made a strange wheezing sound, almost a hiss, his body taut as a bow, fingers clutching at Mystery’s hair. Mystery hummed against Benny’s dick, inserting one of his fingers alongside Sheppy’s, the pair of them stretching their lover even more.

“Ready, darling?” Sheppy asked, tapping Benny’s thigh.

Benny gave two thumbs-up, his body quaking, a huge smile widening his lips.

Chuckling, Sheppy replaced fingers with cock, sliding in an inch. He closed his eyes, the tight, slick feel driving him close to insanity. Oh God. Benny was so warm. So pliant. Yet so tight Sheppy had to pinch the root of his dick or he’d embarrass himself before he’d gotten halfway. Clenching his jaw, Sheppy pushed deeper, opening one eye to gauge Benny’s reaction.

The smaller shifter’s smile had Sheppy’s heart clenching. Sheppy had rarely felt so powerful…and so scared that he wouldn’t be enough. So much trust weighed heavy. He’d kept his heart locked in cast iron for so long. And loving someone hurt…it had nearly killed him once.

Benny began to move, shoving back against Sheppy, impaling himself to the hilt. Sheppy gasped, meeting Benny’s sultry gaze, and read the plea. Invitation accepted. He grasped Benny’s thighs, spreading him wider still, and set up a slow, drugging tempo, using long strokes, mesmerized by the play of emotions on Benny’s sweat-soaked face.

He gradually upped the tempo and turned his head to fondle Benny’s toes with his tongue. His breath came in gasping pants, mirroring Benny’s. Making love to his mate was like nothing else in life, and it was blowing his mind. A connection. An intimacy he felt right to his soul. Felt the tiny quivers of Benny milking him. The slick glide of flesh against flesh, the light slap of his balls on Benny’s sleek ass. And oh God, it was everything.

Ramping up again, he speared Benny with gusto, hips rocking like pistons, his heart racing with gleeful abandon. So good. So fucking good. He could almost feel their heartbeats moving in sync, feel their bond tighten inexorably. And knew he wanted to be with Benny forever and a day.

And that was all it took. One more thrust and he was gone, emptying his load inside Benny’s clenching ass, roaring his pleasure. He felt the squeeze, viselike, as Benny lost it too. He grunted, fangs bared, and sank them into Benny’s slender thigh, the need to claim his mate all-consuming. Benny convulsed beneath him, clutching at the sheets, shuddering like a reed in a thunderstorm.

Mystery popped off Benny’s cock, mouth leaking cum, and kissed Benny in the dirtiest, sexiest kiss Sheppy had witnessed. He leaned forward, still embedded, and shared Benny’s load, messy and tasty as hell, then collapsed to the side, exhausted, dragging Benny with him so he didn’t have to leave his gorgeous ass just yet.