STORY EXCERPT

Suddenly, Eric’s door opened, Vinn’s fist hanging in midair a second before he dropped his arm to his side.

“You want to stop banging on my door and go away!” Eric hissed up at Vinn.

The big demon frowned at Eric and sniffed. He smiled slowly. “You’re strong. What gift did you just try to use on me, vampire?”

“Your mate is fearless,” Mac muttered. “I’m surprised.”

“No gift, just telling you to stop banging on my door or you’ll break it,” Eric said in a neutral tone.

“Definitely a gift. What is it you possess?” Vinn said.

“We do not have to reveal our gift if we do not wish to. What’s going on?” Eric waved a hand about.

Vinn quirked a brow. “It is an effectiveness gift, whatever it is.”

Ned waved from well behind Vinn’s large frame. “Hi, Eric—oh, ah, sorry. Did we interrupt your shower?”

Eric’s attention had been fixed on Vinn. He blinked and glanced around the demon, eyes widening when seeing Ned.

“Ned.”

Ned couldn’t help but stare. Eric stood in the doorway of his loft apartment wearing only a blue towel haphazardly held around his hips with one hand. Of average height with a trim, athletic build, he had fabulous muscle tone, absolutely no hair on his chest, and Ned wanted to lick the drops of water that dripped from Eric’s left pink nipple.

He licked his lips and felt a burst of excitement. “Are you my mate?”

Mac chuckled, Vinn eyed Eric suspiciously. Ned stepped around Vinn. Eric’s towel was now tenting.

“Err, well—can you give me a minute?” The door shut in Ned’s face.

“Really?” Mac exclaimed.

“I believe he was a bit flustered,” Vinn murmured. He moved Ned aside and opened the apartment door.

He should probably wait to be invited into Eric’s home, but curiosity won over good manners, and he followed Vinn and Mac inside.

“I felt the strength of Eric’s gift. Some sort of pressure or mind gift?” Mac asked.

“Could be. If I weren’t trained to withstand that sort of power, I would have been walking away. Nice place.”

Ned agreed with Vinn. The loft was large, with floor-to-ceiling windows along one side. It was light and airy and had a great feel. He turned eagerly as Eric came into the room adjusting a T-shirt he just pulled on with jeans.

“Hi, can I get anybody a coffee?”

“Answer Ned’s question,” Vinn ordered.

Ned really liked Vinn. He liked that Vinn was authentic and stuck to who he was. Everyone had their different ways, and Vinn was always nice to Ned. Not that they spent any time together usually. Mac had two brothers about the same age as him, and they were all best friends. Vinn was one, Eber Aston the other. Mac said Vinn didn’t do small talk, and he just sounded gruff.

Eric could have been annoyed. He could have asked them to leave. What he did was go straight to Ned and hold out his hand. Ned immediately placed a hand in Eric’s.

“Yes, we are mates.”

“I’m so glad.” Ned worried his bottom lip. His hand felt so good in Eric’s. “I know it’s too soon to say whether you’re happy I’m your mate, but I am very happy. I really want to spend lots of time with you.”

Eric smiled, and the tension left his body. He squeezed Ned’s hand lightly. “I want to spend time with you, too. Ned.” With another squeeze, Eric released Ned’s hand and turned his attention to Mac and Vinn. “Thanks for bringing Ned here.”

“It didn’t seem like you were getting around to approaching him. And considering he’s your mate, and how important mates are, that being apart and feelings of rejection can cause pain, it was best to be direct and straighten this out.” Mac’s tone was disapproving.

Eric’s smile slipped, and reaching out, he brushed Ned’s left cheek with his fingertips.

“You’ve been in pain?”

“Just a headache,” Ned dismissed. He’d never known another person’s touch to cause so many tingles! It was like every nerve ending came alive and was trying to reach Eric’s fingers.

“I am sorry to have caused you even the slightest bit of pain, mate.”

Ned wasn’t going to ask why Eric didn’t approach him that very first morning when they met at the café where Eric worked. He believed that Eric would tell him when the time was right. He had a feeling their relationship was going to move along really fast and heat up extremely quickly. That was how it happened with soul mates, so he could wait on some deets, as long as they were together.

He’d probably tell his mate everything pretty much immediately! He couldn’t wait to share his life with Eric. Having a mate was exciting. Ned had dated a lot over the years. He flitted from one date to another and looked forward to the butterflies of attraction when he met someone. But the attraction butterflies never lasted long for Ned, not until meeting Eric.

And that was the way it was meant to be. They were mates.

ADULT EXCERPT

“You know we’re naked and in this really large bed together.” Ned rubbed his naked foot against Eric’s naked leg.

Grinning, Eric grabbed Ned and pulled, so he was lying flat on the bed. Excitement zipped through him, and he was instantly hard and throbbing.

All mirth fled as soon as Eric’s lips met Ned’s. Their kisses began slow and deep. Ned felt an incredibly powerful connection to Eric emotionally and physically and wanted that forever bond that came with being mates. Pressed together as they were caused his entire body to buzz.

Their kisses turned needy. Ned greedily touched every part of Eric he could reach, his hands sweeping over smooth, hairless skin, nails scraping Eric’s back and tongues tangling. His fingers sank into the top of Eric’s ass as their cocks rubbed together. He heard the click of a lid, and then slick fingers brushed over Ned’s hole. Eric broke their kiss and began moving down Ned’s body as his fingers remained amazingly busy.

Ned was rather stunned at how well Eric multitasked. And really pleased! He’d never known that a scrape of a fang could make his cock jerk and leak profusely or that sucking on his nipple would result in his eyes nearly rolling back in his head with pleasure.

While Eric’s mouth continued moving down Ned’s body, his fingers were very busy stretching his hole in preparation for Eric’s cock. What Eric was doing felt glorious, Ned feeling every stroke, every brush over his sensitive spot. It was difficult to lie still. He wiggled and moaned and leaned into every stroke and touch as he caressed every bit of Eric he could reach.

“Ready?” Eric withdrew his fingers.

“Yes, very.” Ned clasped a hand around Eric’s cock tightly and stroked. He loved Eric’s hiss, and he loved it even more that his mate’s mouth covered his in demand and urgency.

His tongue felt the tip of a very sharp fang. Knowing exactly what he wanted, Ned scraped his tongue across the tip and felt the slight sting and tasted blood.

“I pledge my whole self to you, Eric Ramon, my mate, forever.”

Eric sucked in deeply, his eyes wide with shock. “Ned?”

“This is part of being your mate. And now you pledge yourself to me…if you want.”

His vampire moved so fast, Ned was dizzy with the sudden change in position, and he loved it.

Lifted up and onto his knees, Ned dropped his hands to Eric’s shoulders as his tongue was sucked, the sensation so freaking good Ned had to think of roller skating in oncoming traffic to stop himself from orgasming.

“My mate, I pledge myself to you,” Eric murmured.

Ned felt the head of Eric’s cock press against his hole. He gripped his mate’s shoulders tighter with the first push. He pressed down, taking Eric inside and reveling in the feel. He’d been stretched well. There was only a bit of a pinching sensation. Ned moved past it, covering Eric’s mouth with his.

He loved that Eric let Ned set the pace. He moved slowly, not so much because of pain or adjusting, but he wanted to draw this moment out, savor the experience. It felt so good to take Eric’s cock inside, the stretch and fullness, the slide. When he was finally filled with Eric, they were both panting.

“You feel so good. Smell so good,” Eric murmured.

Eric’s hands gripped Ned’s hips firmly and thrust up. They found their sync immediately, lips seeking one another, bodies pressed tight. With his cock rubbing against his and Eric’s stomachs, Ned felt the urge to come rising. He concentrated on Eric’s lips instead, the feel of those slightly calloused hands holding, pressing, and moving Ned, and how good Eric felt inside him.

Soon it was impossible to think, Ned caught up in with the feelings, no longer caring about holding back. Eric’s pace increased, and his breathing was harsh. He held Ned closer, their abs rubbing Ned’s cock between them, the movement just right.

Breaking their kisses, Eric lowered his head to Ned’s neck and nibbled, Ned’s cock jerking between their stomachs. He gripped Eric’s hair. One of Eric’s hands remained on Ned’s hip, the other moved up his back, pressing him closer, their bodies straining together.

He loved the feel of Eric’s cock. Long, slender, and smooth, it pressed inside Ned just right, stretching his muscles without causing him to feel like he was straining. It was a perfect fit and a perfect feel, gliding and rubbing, finding that sweet spot with nearly every stroke.

They moved together, Ned rising up on his knees time again, moving faster. Fingers moved beneath where they were joined and cupped his balls, rolling them, tugging and playing.