STORY EXCERPT

Something brushed the side of his cheek. Hilton’s head snapped up, but no one was in the car with him. That only made the tears flow harder. He really was losing it, and no talk with his mother would claim otherwise. Besides, she was probably too far gone to even remember why she’d gone insane in the first place.

Gliding his palms over his cheeks, Hilton wiped away the tears. He put the car in drive and drove from the parking lot, leaving the asylum in his rearview mirror as he made the long trek home. The rain was coming down so hard that Hilton had to navigate the back roads carefully.

Hilton’s heart pounded as the water began to gather heavily on the road. He was tempted to race through the water, but knew that would make matters worse. Instead, he drove slowly and hoped the backroad didn’t flood.

“This was such a bad idea,” he mumbled to himself as he turned on his high beams and tried to see through the sheet of rain. “Why couldn’t I have my meltdown on a night it hadn't decided to storm? At least I wouldn’t be risking my safety for answers I never attempted to get.”

“You’re not crazy.”

Hilton’s foot slammed into the brake pedal when the soft voice whispered through the car. The back end of the sedan swung heavily to the right as he gripped the steering wheel, then dipped, and Hilton knew he’d gotten himself stuck in a ditch. Just his luck. He was in the middle of bumfucked nowhere. There wasn’t a chance in hell of anyone driving by to help him. Not anytime soon.

“That’s it!” Hilton thumped his head on the steering wheel. “Just, whoever you are, reveal yourself, please, please, please. I’m close enough that I can walk my ass back to the asylum and check into a cozy padded cell.”

“You’re not crazy.” The voice was stronger now.

Hilton lifted his head and gasped. Sitting next to him was…Man, the guy was a freaking god. His dark, intense gaze was fixed on Hilton. The man had long, black hair, and a close-cropped beard and mustache. He was even sexier than Johnny Depp, and Hilton worshiped that actor. The stranger wore jeans and a leather jacket and was one sexy package wrapped in an exotic burrito.

“Oh hell no!” Hilton grabbed for the door handle, but his slide off the road had butted a tree against the driver’s door. He was trapped. Hilton spun and tried to climb over the seat. He’d escape through the back passenger door. He lived in the preternatural world and knew beings existed that could pop in and out of places, but he was on a deserted back road, it was dark out, and the stranger—although sexy as hell—gave off a vibe that scared Hilton to his core.

“Stop.”

That single word halted Hilton’s movements. He was bent over the driver’s seat, his ass hanging in the air as he turned his head and looked at the guy. Hilton wanted desperately to get out of the car, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.

“Sit.”

His body slid back down the seat and turned until he was facing the windshield. “H-How did you do that?”

He cringed when the stranger brushed his fingers over Hilton’s forehead. His heart began to beat normally and the terror he’d felt seconds ago washed away like dust in a rainstorm.

“I am…” The man rubbed a hand over his bearded jaw. “Call me your guardian angel.”

His voice was lulling, thick, and smooth. It was a voice made for sex. But sex was the last thing on Hilton’s mind. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

“Then why all the ghostly drama? If you’re my fairy godfather, why didn’t you just show yourself?” Not that Hilton believed one word the man said. Guardian angel? Please. Hardly. The guy looked more like a wicked devil out to steal his soul. But he would play along until he could figure a way out of this mess.

“Yes indeed, play along.”

Hilton’s eyes bugged. “You read my thoughts?”

The wicked devil winked at him. “Even the naughty ones.” He leaned closer and his dark, leathery scent wrapped around Hilton like a lover’s caress. “But I know you’ve never lain with a man before.”

If Hilton put together all the times he’d blushed in his life, they still wouldn’t add up to how nuclear his cheeks felt now. Even his ears were on fire.

“Blushing suits you.” The man nodded and then leaned back. “I like it very much.”

“What are you? And don’t tell me a freaking fairy. I’d sooner believe Santa was real.” Although technically he could be a demon. They did exist, and so did fairies. But Hilton's gut told him this stranger was neither.

Something moved behind those dark, mysterious eyes. Hilton had no clue what emotions they were, but he sensed they weren’t happy ones.

“I am who I am.”

“And you’re seriously going with that?” Hilton shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. “Fine, keep your fairy secrets.”

“I am not a fairy.”

“You are unless you tell me the truth, fairy.” From the way he'd snapped just now, the guy clearly didn’t like the reference. Too bad. Hilton didn’t like sitting in a car with a complete stranger who wouldn’t say what he was. Hilton wanted to know what he was dealing with, and if the guy wouldn’t say, then he couldn’t bitch when Hilton hazarded a guess—even an unlikely one.

The man shot forward and Hilton squeaked as he leaned back. The stranger’s features had grown dark, his eyes even darker. “Be careful who you provoke, Little Bunny. I just might have you for my next meal.”

Okay, so Hilton might have peed his pants a little. He stayed curled against the door as the stranger eased back into his seat, his menacing aura vanishing as quickly as it had surfaced.

“The name Jaden will do.”

ADULT EXCERPT

With a mere thought, they went from standing in the room at the clinic to standing in Hilton’s bedroom.

Hilton grabbed his head with his free hand. “That was a bit disorienting.”

“Your head hurts?” Jaden released Hilton’s wrist and took his mate’s head in his hands, massaging Hilton’s temples. “How badly does it hurt?”

Hilton’s eyelids fluttered closed. “Oh, that feels sooo good.” He licked his lips. “Don’t stop. Your fingers are like magic.”

Jaden didn’t want to stop touching the little bunny. He slid the pads of his thumbs lower, then grazed the tips of his fingers along Hilton’s swanlike neck.

His skin was soft and smooth, like touching silk. Jaden pulled Hilton into his arms and brushed his lips along his mate’s throat. He expected to be pushed away, but instead, Hilton melted against him.

Don’t subject him to your life. Leave him and get as far away as you can. But Jaden couldn’t find the will to leave, though it would be in both their best interests. He continued to explore Hilton as his cock grew increasingly hard.

“I like how your beard feels against my skin.” Hilton sighed. “Scratchy and tingly.”

“You will have abrasions.”

“Don’t care.” Hilton tilted his head to the side, submitting to Jaden. “Just don’t stop, please.”

Jaden glided his hands down Hilton’s sleek back, cupped his ass, and pulled him closer. Their cocks aligned, and Hilton was just as aroused as Jaden.

“Feels weird that you’re dressed and I’m not.” Hilton inhaled sharply when Jaden’s clothes vanished and they were lying in bed.

“Now you’re the one with too many clothes.” Jaden rolled to his back, pulling Hilton onto his lap. Hilton was breathtakingly beautiful atop him. His hazel eyes widened as he looked down at Jaden with innocence.

“I’m not sure what I should do up here.” Hilton bit his lower lip as a deep blush appeared over his cheeks, neck, and chest.

“Whatever comes natural.” Jaden couldn’t stop touching him. He explored the bunny’s back, ass, legs, stomach, and chest, then slid his hands down Hilton’s thin arms, coaxing him to lean forward.

Jaden stared at the ceiling as he struggled with decisions that would seal Hilton’s fate and leave Jaden vulnerable for the first time in his existence. His need for Hilton was selfish, but Jaden had never wanted anything as much as he wanted to bond with Hilton.

He’d never asked for a single thing. Why couldn’t he have this? Why did Life deserve to be happy, but not Death?

All thoughts fled when Hilton began kissing along Jaden’s jaw. The moves were unsure, timid. Jaden placed his hands on Hilton’s hips and left them there, forcing himself not to move as the little bunny explored.

Hilton looked up at him and grinned, and Jaden was a goner. He’d give his mate anything he asked. Jaden would start wars and raze nations to the ground if that made Hilton happy.

“You know I’m just winging this, right?” Hilton rested an elbow on Jaden’s chest, tucking his chin in his hand. He played at the hairs on Jaden’s chest with his other hand. “I know the mechanics, but”—Hilton shrugged—“so don’t make fun of me if I don’t get it right.”

“I would never think of teasing you.”

“You’re way too serious.” Hilton nipped at Jaden’s chin. “I may not have done this before, but it doesn’t have to be all grunts and groans. I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to smile, and maybe, just maybe, you can even laugh.”

With a deep growl, Jaden gripped the back of Hilton’s hair and rolled them, placing his bunny beneath him. Jaden settled between Hilton’s legs and took his lips in a deep, consuming kiss.

He made Hilton’s underwear vanish as he explored the interior of Hilton’s mouth.

“I feel so…needy,” Hilton said when he broke the kiss. He ran his fingers through Jaden’s long hair, giving the strands a slight tug. “Is there something you can do to stop my body from feeling like it’s on fire?”

Hilton was baiting him. A small voice in the back of Jaden’s mind told him to stop, to not wreck Hilton's life. Jaden could watch over him for eternity without interfering, but again that selfish part of him refused to listen, refused to think of the consequences of taking Hilton.

“I could get a fire hose.”

Hilton laughed. “Oh my God. You made a joke.”

“And you killed the joke by pointing that fact out.” Jaden wrapped his hand around Hilton’s hard cock. He’d never had fun with a lover before. Jaden fucked, and that was it. There was no teasing, no smiles, and he’d never felt this desperate to fuck anyone before.

Jaden shut those thoughts down, refusing to analyze the strange way Hilton made him feel. He wanted to make this all about fucking, but for one, Hilton didn’t seem as though he would let that happen. Two, Jaden couldn’t bring himself to use his mate’s body in such a cold way. And three, this was Hilton’s first time and Jaden wanted to bring Hilton into the world of pleasure the right way.

Hilton thrust his cock in and out of Jaden’s hand, moaning as he thrashed his head. Jaden held out his hand, and a bottle of lube appeared on his palm. He slicked his hand and curled it back around Hilton’s cock.

“I love your freaky-deaky powers,” Hilton said. “Saves you from having to get up.”

“Nothing short of the universe exploding would get me from between your legs.”

“You say the sweetest things.” Hilton arched his back, his ass rising higher as Jaden stroked him faster. There was humor in Hilton’s voice, and even need, but Jaden also heard hesitation.

Jaden scooted down the bed and took the tip of Hilton’s cock into his mouth.