STORY EXCERPT

“Grab my ass one more time, and I’m gonna shear your balls off with these clippers.” Roxy slapped at Bose’s hands. “Behave yourself and let me finish cutting your hair, or I’ll throw you out and you can walk around with a half-cut head of hair.”

“Stop acting like you don’t want it,” Bose said. “You take off your fuckin’ clothes for a living. I’ve heard from plenty of guys that you’re easy.”

Roxy slammed the clippers on the counter. He had to stop himself from shoving them up Bose’s ass. “Get out of my shop before I rip your face off, bitch.”

“You’re a cocktease,” Bose barked as he stood from the chair. “Even the name of your shop suggests you’re an easy lay.”

“You piece of shit!” Roxy grabbed anything and everything he could get his hands on and started flinging the items at Bose. Bottles of hair spray, combs, and his hair dryer. Just because his shop was named Come and Get Some didn’t mean Roxy was a slut. He was sick and tired of guys waltzing into his salon thinking he was.

“You goddamn crazy bitch!” Bose ducked and hurried out the door. Roxy was steaming mad, ready to throw his entire shop at Bose. Too bad he’d hightailed it out of there. Now Roxy had to calm himself down before he broke his own things.

He wasn’t sure what was worse. Men assuming he was an easy fuck, or his temper. He wanted to chase Bose down and scratch his eyes out.

Dropping into the vacated chair, Roxy rubbed a hand over his forehead. He’d been stripping at Diablo’s and running his hair salon for what felt like forever, and neither profession held the thrill it once had. His savings was cushy enough that he could retire from the club, but the money was too good to walk away from.

He groaned when the buzzer told him someone had just walked into his shop. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone right now. “We’re closed.”

“I wasn’t looking for a haircut.”

Roxy was fed up and tired and just didn’t have it in him to yell at whoever it was. “If you think you can come in here and—”

He lost all thought when he turned to look at the stranger. The guy was tall, broad, and wore the meanest expression he’d ever seen. Lust wasn’t dripping from his eyes. In fact, the stranger looked as though he’d come there to shoot Roxy.

No matter the reason he had shown up, Roxy was still in a foul mood. “What do you need?”

“Looking for information.”

“That’s why the Internet was invented.” Roxy began picking up the things he’d thrown at Bose. The hair dryer had a large crack running down the side. Damn it, now he would have to buy another one.

“Are you always this helpful?”

“Not really.” Roxy tossed it in the trash. “I usually charge for my services.” He mentally smacked himself. That had sounded sleazy as hell. He’d been referring to information, but most men’s minds went straight to the gutter.

The stranger pulled out his wallet. “I’ll only pay if you have useful information.”

Was he serious? “What do you need to know?”

“I’m looking for a guy by the name of Jericho James.”

Roxy shook his head. “Never heard of him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Didn’t I just say I never heard that name?” Roxy set the cans of hair spray and combs on the counter. “Just because I work in the entertainment industry doesn’t mean I know every Joe Schmoe in the city.”

“Entertainment?”

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No.” The guy tucked his wallet back into his pocket. “I’m from a small town called Desire, but my pursuit of Jericho led me to the demon realm.” He shrugged. “I figured since you work in a hair salon that you might’ve picked up some gossip.”

That piqued Roxy’s interest. “What’d he do?”

“Used a dark spell to create a vampire virus.”

“Virus? But vampires already exist.”

“This virus is transmittable through biting.”

Roxy’s brows shot up. “That’s scary.”

“And that’s why I’m hunting him down. He’s also the one who made the numbers of soul-suckers skyrocket.”

“That was him?” Roxy had run into a soul-sucker a few months back and nearly lost the battle. If one of the demon warriors hadn’t saved him, he would’ve been in deep trouble.

“He’s a dangerous man who needs to be locked back up in the underworld.”

Roxy was interested in the story, but he also liked hearing the guy talk. The stranger had a rich, deep voice he could listen to all day, and gorgeous, piercing, blue eyes. He stuck his hand out. “By the way, I’m Roxy.”

“Gabriel Vandalia.” The man shook his hand.

Roxy quickly pulled his hand away when Gabriel held on to it longer than a proper handshake required. Gabriel cocked his head, gazing intently at him.

Oh, God. Here we go. He’s going to ask for sex.

“You smell like roses.”

Roxy had to admit, that was the first time he’d heard that pickup line, but, although original, it still wasn’t going to work. Stripping and casual sex had been fun when Roxy was younger, but again, the scene had grown stale. He was looking for something more permanent, something meaningful with someone he could spend the rest of his life with. He wasn’t averse to having sex, but random escapades whenever a handsome man batted his eyelashes no longer thrilled him.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Gabriel. Sorry I couldn’t help you.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and took a step back. He kept staring strangely at Roxy, and unease settled in the pit of Roxy’s stomach. “Is something wrong?”

“Other than my wolf going apeshit?” Gabriel curled his hands into fists. “I think you’re my mate.”

“Nice try,” Roxy said. “Heard that one a thousand times. You’re handsome, but I’m not interested. Good luck finding your fugitive.”

ADULT EXCERPT

The serenity that wrapped around him made him want to stand on the balcony for the rest of the night. A vast forest spread behind Gabriel’s home. The air was warm, the breeze welcomed, and Roxy soaked in the sounds all around him. Having Gabriel standing next to him made everything come together perfectly.

“Tonight was my fault,” Gabriel confessed. “I should’ve talked to you instead of going off half-cocked.” He turned and ran his fingers softly over Roxy’s cheek. Roxy winced. How had he completely forgotten about his nose? He probably looked like crap and there was no doubt he had bruising. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”

“I’m just lucky it was a glancing blow. A direct hit probably would’ve killed me.” Roxy’s eyelids fluttered closed as he rubbed his cheek into Gabriel’s touch. Gabriel’s fingers felt strong, yet gentle against his skin.

“I went to the demon realm and looked for you,” Gabriel said.

“Then why did you come back here?”

“I realized I was being a hotheaded idiot, so I came home, hoping you would come to me instead. I already made you aware that we were mates, so all I could do was wait for you to make the next move."

“What if I didn’t come back?”

Gabriel slid his hand down Roxy’s jaw and glided his fingers over Roxy’s neck. Roxy tilted his head to the side, softly moaning. “But you did.”

Roxy opened his eyes when Gabriel pulled him into his arms. “Bind me to you,” Roxy said.

Gabriel smiled wickedly. “With pleasure, my little demon.”

Roxy felt turned inside out with lust and couldn’t recall ever wanting someone this desperately. They kissed until Roxy had to pull back for air or suffocate. Gabriel licked his way around his jaw as he went to work unfastening Roxy’s pants. The back of the house had other balconies along it, but Roxy couldn’t have cared less if anyone came out and saw them.

Gabriel had his rapt attention, and all Roxy saw was him. Roxy was just as frantic to get Gabriel’s pants off as Gabriel was to pull Roxy’s down. Roxy kicked his shoes off, then lifted one leg at a time to help Gabriel strip him, and his mate’s muscles rippled with every move. He stood and removed Roxy’s shirt, then spun him and pushed Roxy against the railing and pressed his chest to Roxy’s back.

Roxy’s breath hitched as the fabric of Gabriel’s shirt scraped over his bare skin. A whimper escaped when Gabriel grabbed his short hair and yanked his head back. “We’ll talk later about you cutting your fucking hair off. And you’re damn lucky Emrick is your brother. If I ever catch you with another man, I’ll gut him where he stands, then lock you in this bedroom for the next one hundred years. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes.” Roxy could’ve argued that Gabriel had nothing to worry about. But now things between them were clear, Roxy liked this show of dominance and possessiveness. It turned him on.

“Grab the railing and don’t move.”

Gabriel’s heat left his back, and Roxy glanced over his shoulder to see Gabriel standing there. He slapped Roxy’s ass, making his cheek sting. “I told you not to move.”

Roxy smiled as he quickly turned back around. A moment later wet fingers separated his cheeks and probed at his hole. Roxy moaned as he leaned over the railing, jutting his ass out.

“Damn, you don’t listen.” Gabriel’s voice had grown husky as his fingers breached him. There was no way in hell Roxy could stand still while Gabriel set his body on fire. He was asking for control Roxy didn’t possess. Gabriel would just have to spank him again. In fact, Roxy tried to encourage it by thrusting backward.

To his delight, Gabriel slapped his ass again. “I’m starting to think you’re enjoying this.”

Roxy spread his legs farther apart. “Just fuck me already.”

Gabriel’s laugh was deep and wicked and sent a shudder through Roxy. “And if I don’t?”

“Don’t even tease me like that.” Roxy curled his fingers around the railing to stop himself from falling over. His mind melted against his skull when Gabriel dropped to his knees and rimmed Roxy’s ass with his tongue. Roxy’s toes curled and he cried out, thrusting backward as Gabriel’s fingers drove inside of him.

The buildup started, and Roxy was too desperate to fight against his approaching climax. Gabriel moved his fingers faster, his tongue harder, and Roxy exploded, his cum spurting toward the ground below.

“Do you accept me as your mate, Roxy?”

“Yes!”

Gabriel drove his cock deep inside his ass. Roxy didn’t have time to catch his breath. Gabriel grabbed his hips and pounded into him in quick upward strokes that made Roxy’s legs quiver like wet noodles. Gabriel released Roxy’s hips and grabbed his shoulders as his cock stretched Roxy wide. Roxy pushed away from the railing as it began to bite into his chest.

As if he knew the position had become uncomfortable, Gabriel pulled out and sat on the cushioned chair to their right, then tugged Roxy onto his lap. Roxy straddled him and impaled himself on Gabriel’s cock, then rode him hard.

Moans, slapping skin, and sloppy kisses filled the night air. Roxy ran his hands over Gabriel’s strong arms, digging his fingernails into Gabriel’s skin.

“Your horns are showing,” Gabriel said as he kissed his way up Roxy’s chest. “So fucking beautiful.”

Roxy hadn’t even realized he’d been hiding them. The spell to conceal his true nature was as easy as breathing, and he’d forgotten to reverse it when he’d left the human realm the first time.

Gabriel leaned him backward, and Roxy arched into his touch. He teased Roxy’s nipples, biting and licking each as he wrapped his hand around Roxy’s hard cock. Roxy stopped bouncing on Gabriel’s cock as he keened and bucked, building quickly toward his second orgasm.